Riches Untold
by Bambee CuddlyThings
Summary: The crooked dice of fate tumbles on along the basin of the Amazon while men of every persuasion watch in suspense.  Some roll for country, others for religion; but all gamble for Riches Untold.
1. The Second Maracaibo Raid

**The Second Maracaibo Raid**

"There exists a world far beyond ours… a world of wondrous colors riveting to behold but deadly to the touch. Should you appreciate this glorious rainbow with more than just your eyes, the six Builder Gods will appear henceforth and each will take from you one thing which you hold dear the most."

The man scratched his beard as he leaned back and contemplated on the cryptic words. After a moment's silence, he spoke up, "There are only three things I hold dear in this world, love. And that is the Pearl, rum, and sometimes my hat. Those devils can take my hat and drink but the Pearl will always find her way back to me."

The myriad of voices laughed and the storm outside lashed the ship's sides with greater intensity. "As you say, Jack… As you say. But I speak of a different sort of treasure that men value. Whether it be their true love, their firstborn son, or perhaps the warm memories of home, the six know what to take just as much as they know how to create. And once they have taken from you, you will feel hollowed and emptied."

"Jolly well and good then, for I can fill said emptiness with even more of their gold, buy myself a bigger hat, and sail straight for Tortuga with the intention of inebriating myself for the better part of a month after which I will re-emerge a new man de-hollowed and filled to the brim with rum-induced satisfaction."

The hundred voices chuckled as one before replying, "This is an emptiness that you cannot fill. You will be worse than dead… Even worse than being trapped in the Locker. Are all the riches of the Golden One's kingdom truly worth your being? Its guardians will tear your soul apart, Jack. Once you leave their world, you will never be the same."

The man stood up gently only to fall back down as he stumbled on what sounded like a casket rolling listlessly on the ground. The darkness shrouded every part of his vision as he worked his hands on the floor all around him. After a moment's search, he grunted in triumph as his hand wrapped around a bottle that sloshed with liquid content.

Taking a swig from it, he replied to the void surrounding him, "I am never the same man, Calypso. With or without El Dorado's gold, a man's disposition changes just as naturally as the tide. Now tell me where to find this place that even your compass trinket cannot locate."

"Ah, Jack," said the voices morosely, "I will tell you where to go but I remind you of the futility of your journey. The entrance to their world lies at the end of a small river held sacred by the Muisca natives, deep within the jungles of New Granada. Entry will be difficult and the exit even more so."

"One more thing," the chorus paused in hesitation before continuing, "A familiar presence has intruded my waters. She now walks on land but she has always been my rival of the seas. Her quest lies parallel to yours and sooner than later you will encounter each other. Be prepared, Jack Sparrow, for there are two goddesses to have come from the waters of Greece. The first being I while the other is the Macedonian princess, the siren sister of Alexander the Great."

The silence that followed was met with the dying of winds as the Black Pearl steadied herself. Above deck, Jack could hear voices shouting in relief as the storm abruptly died down just as quickly and mysteriously as it had started. A tiny shaft of light peeked through a hole in the ship's hull and the storage room was bathed in a dim gray light. With practiced grace, Jack stood up and maneuvered the racks of bottled rum, appropriating a few as he headed for the ladder leading upstairs.

After somehow reaching the main deck with a bottle on each hand and a third under his chin, he finally sighed and breathed in the air tinged with that cool freshness often present right after it rains.

"You be cookin' up that storm didn't you, Jack?" an aged sailor grumbled beside him. All around them, barefoot sailors were running around the fore mast which, after closer inspection, had a noticeable crack running vertically from where it connected with the forecastle and all the way up to the topsail.

"I cooked up nothing," Jack replied as he handed over the lightest of the bottles, "I did however leave you in charge for no more than two minutes while I went to get a small beverage— which I well deserved after navigating the ship all night long— and in that two minutes you managed to blow us off course, damage the Pearl, and most importantly, break at least five crates worth of rum in the hold. Now what do you have to say for yourself, Mister Gibbs?"

The heavyset sailor named Gibbs paled and bit his clenched fist. "Five?" he asked in a whisper.

"Five indeed, Mister Gibbs," Jack said as he moved past him. He walked up to the forecastle deck all the while emptying a bottle of its contents. After leaning towards the bowsprit, he peered through the bottle with one eye as if it were a telescope.

He grunted and, without turning around, spoke to Gibbs, "Although it seems Lady Luck smiles on you this day. I forgive you of your grave offense since we are not as far off our intended destination as I thought."

As if to confirm his words, the watchman, who had just now returned to his post on the topmast, announced the sighting of land.

"The Spanish Main," Jack smiled with one eye still closed and the other peering through the bottle, "Make course for Maracaibo, my pretties. We need to appropriate a certain map and replenish our dented supply of precious rum."

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"Is it true then?"

"What is?" de Lezo asked of the other.

"Oh, don't be coy with me, _Teniente_. They say a ghost ship has been roaming the lake since last week."

De Lezo regarded his companion for a moment. The latter was garbed, quite outrageously, in a nightgown so thin that it would have made the whores down by the port blush. And if her father were to suddenly intrude upon the two, de Lezo would likely be hanged and gibbeted immediately without trial, never mind his illustrious background.

"Yes, it's true but stay your excitement since I doubt even the most fearless of spirits would be fool enough to raid Maracaibo," he replied before looking away distractedly, "Is that all you wanted to speak of? I really think you should return to your quarters before your governess realizes you've been prancing around the fort with hardly any clothes on."

"My governess will be the least of your troubles if I am seen in my vulnerability while under your sole companionship," the woman smiled to the detriment of the officer.

"Now tell me more about this demon ship. Who captains it? I mean Maracaibo isn't as impregnable as you think it to be. That Welshman Morgan for instance—"

"Henry Morgan has been dead for several decades now and at the time of his raid he was not facing my ship, the _Agua Dama_," interrupted a voice behind her.

She spun around to see a middle aged man enter the office with another figure following closely behind him. Behind his desk, Bartolomeo de Lezo's face turned white.

"Lord Viceroy," he stammered as he struggled to get up.

"As you were, Lieutenant," the Viceroy of New Granada said, "And you young lady… Must you always send my fort in an uproar? Everywhere I passed, I've seen red faced guards clutching their rosaries in tormented prayer."

"You bought me this gown, father. You would disprove of your taste? And mine too should you learn I've worn the Lieutenant's clothes while riding to town," the woman replied flatly. Behind her, de Lezo closed his eyes.

The Viceroy threw up his hands in exasperation, "You wear men's attire while visiting town? How many dresses from Barcelona must I order until you finally find one that suits your fancy? Any self-respecting lady—"

"I must not be a lady then to have also ridden barebacked during those visits," the woman interjected, "And respect is superficial, father. Dig deeper and you always find less than noble intentions."

The two men in the room turned red, one with discomfort and the other with anger. Before her father could venture out some nonsensical response, she stepped around him in order to greet the fourth of their company, a now smiling woman somewhere in her late fifties. Though age had caught up to the elderly woman's face, the Viceroy's daughter could see that she must have been a stunning beauty in her prime.

"You must be Catherina," the elderly woman said warmly, "I am Amalia Concettina from Bologna, an old friend of your father's. He has told me a lot about you and it seems you do not disappoint."

"I live for my father's agony," the other replied with a smile, "And welcome to Colombia, Madame Concettina."

"Please, call me Amalia and thank you, I have had a wonderful time ever since landing on your shores."

"I am only sorry then that we have not properly greeted you," Catherina said, "Perhaps you would care to join me for a ride around town tomorrow morning when the sun is not too high up?"

The two women both held hands and kissed each other on the cheek as if they were old friends. "I think we will get along very well," said Amalia with a laugh that took years away from her face, "Remind me to tell you some time who your late mother's first beloved was."

"And it wasn't dear old Sebastian here," she added with a wry smile.

Catherina raised an eyebrow while the Viceroy cleared his throat and made to move between Amalia and his daughter, "A story for another time perhaps. Now if you would excuse us Catherina, we have business with the Lieutenant. We will talk more about your… wardrobe in the morning."

With that, Catherina was shooed out but not before squeezing Amalia's hand and giving Lieutenant de Lezo, who pretended not to notice, an exaggerated wink.

She headed for the entrance and noted how the three waited for her to leave. As soon as she stepped outside, she pulled the door to a close behind her but not before delaying at the very last moment, long enough to hear her father address de Lezo.

"As you may have heard Bartolomeo, this is Madame Concettina and she has a very troubling story to tell you. But first fetch your father's maps of the inner Granada. There is a river…"

Catherina's mind raced as she walked barefoot and slowly amidst the humidity of the night. There were numerous rivers flowing in and out of the New Granada region. But the most vital one was the Magdalena River which was a major link between the settlement of Bogota and the major port town of Cartagena. But everyone already knew this. Whatever river they were talking about must be an obscure one but worthy enough to have been drawn in one of the Lieutenant's treasured maps, a cache of ancient papers that once belonged to de Lezo's late father, the Defender of Cartagena de Indias.

There was also the matter of what they sought along that river but she pushed that thought away. She would pry that information from Bartolomeo tomorrow. And if the Lieutenant was not forthcoming, she would try questioning Madame Concettina though Catherina knew she had met her match the moment she laid eyes on the elderly lady.

She sighed as she stopped to admire the moonless night sky. The games she played in her gilded cage. The twinkling stars and the chattering of a thousand insects made for an interesting combination. Moments like these brought more joy than the petty politics of her father's court.

"Five years served I, under Master Guy… In the land of Virginny-oh…," she sang softly in English, "…which made me for to know sorrow, grief, and woe… When that I was weary, weary, weary—"

"—oh."

Her head snapped to the right towards a section of the fort's wall where torches were lacking. She spied several shadows advancing from the darkness. Only when she saw the flash of gold from one shadow's mouth did she jump back in alarm. She looked to the top of the walls to see it bereft of guards.

"They be fine, missy. Jes' drunk on the head is all," said a man behind her. Without hesitation, Catherina immediately swung an elbow towards the voice. The stranger clutched his stomach and doubled over in pain but she did not stop to look as she started running for the barracks offices.

"Father! Bartolomeo!"

She looked hopefully at the office door as it swung open and her father's face appeared. She would falter however as another of the shadowy figures dropped from the building's roof and rushed forward to club the Viceroy on the head.

Catherina's cry of anguish would also be stifled by a hand clamping shut on her mouth. From both her sides, more of the invaders came charging by as they forced their way past the office's tiny entrance. From within, the clash of steel against steel rang out.

"My lady Catherina de Eslava," spoke the owner of the hand clutching half her face, "I apologize for my ill manners but my grasp of Spanish was never really that good."

Catherina twisted her head as far as she could to see her captor. Her eyes widened as she saw the hideous burned scar that covered most of the man's face.

"A parting gift from an old friend when he burned my ship down all around me," the scarred man muttered, "Now come, your fate is to be decided by another."

He half dragged Catherina who avoided stepping on her father's still form as both entered the office. The small room was a mess with papers strewn everywhere and the desk cut almost precisely in half. Slumped down behind it was the unmoving de Lezo.

"You're late," said a voice.

The scarred man grunted and pushed Catherina into the center of the leering group of men who whistled and laughed.

"You were wrong on your count of the brig Aguadama's guards, witch. We came close to sinking her just to stop the sentries from ringing the alarm. Now have you gotten what you needed?" he asked.

"Yes. General Blas de Lezo's maps. And with the Viceroy's smaller and more agile ship, we can now navigate this hidden river at Peru."

Catherina's eyes widened as she listened to the exchange. She watched Madame Concettina stuff the old maps into the folds of her skirt. "You traitor! My father welcomes you to our home and you betray his trust to the English?" Catherina screamed at the old woman.

The scarred man chuckled and grabbed her by the hair. "My men and I may wear King George's uniform, but our loyalty now lies with another," he remarked before looking at Concettina, "What do we do with her?"

The elderly woman pondered for a moment before replying, "Take her with us in case the Spanish decide to pursue. Besides, these heathen Amerindian rituals always involve some form of human sacrifice and the girl would serve us well should it become necessary."

With that, she promptly stepped out of the office, ignoring the fuming Catherina that struggled against strong arms. Outside, orange light glowed past the fort's walls as the port town was put to the torch.

Madame Concettina turned and addressed the scarred man once more, "We take half of your men with us aboard the Aguadama. Leave the rest with the Endeavour and have her trail behind to deter any who would give chase."

"But what of Sparrow? You promised—"

"I know what I promised," Concettina said sharply and a strange glow emanated from her eyes.

"You will have your revenge for I am certain the dear Captain will follow in our wake. Your ship failed against him once before and I doubt it will succeed next time around, not while it is under half strength. You both will meet soon enough, but it will not be here and it will not be now."

She raised her hand and the scarred man grabbed his face as if in pain. "Do not forget who brought you and your ship back to life, Lord Admiral. You will obey me without question for I can just as easily return you to the fiery depths from whence I snatched your soul."

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_Note:_

_Hey, pookie. Thanks for reading. Now for an actual summary… I know my story descriptions are close to useless._

_This story, if you hadn't guessed by now, revolves around the hunt for El Dorado's Lost City of Gold. This is set after all four movies with the assumption that Sparrow and Gibbs managed to bring the Pearl back to how it was before.  
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_Lastly, and if you still care at this point, the Alexander's sister I mentioned is some fish chick named Thessalonike._

_Toodles_


	2. To Hire A Pirate

**To Hire a Pirate**

"He's got pretty teeth."

A haze of red pervaded his vision. The twittering of birds and seagulls set the time and place.

"Of course he does, he's not English."

"So with your reasoning, were I to have been born a Spaniard I would then have good dentition?"

He watched as one of the two blurry figures looming above him scratched his head.

"No?"

"Ah. So you concede then that pretty teeth are _not_ exclusive to those of non-English birth but are in fact exclusive to landlubbers of all nationalities."

"But not _all_ landlubbers of _any_ nationality have pretty teeth."

"True…" and there was a moment of silence.

"…but can we agree that all sailors of any nationality do not, in fact, have pearly whites but instead go around with gums lacking in enamel and pulp?"

"Yes!"

The two came into focus and he watched them shake each other's hands. With considerable exertion, he willed his hand to move and he grabbed one of the men's ankles.

"Oh?"

"Catherina… The Viceroy…" he rasped despite his dry throat. The two men bent on their knees and gave him close inspection.

"The Viceroy's name is Catherina?" asked the skinnier of the two.

"No, you fool. Catherina is the Viceroy's daughter," replied the other.

"Where… are they?"

"Well," began the plump one as he scratched his nose, "The Viceroy is outside talking with the Captain. Negotiating terms of employment I believe. As for the daughter… she was taken."

"Taken?"

"Mhm. Made ransom, hostage, prisoner, captive—"

"Yes thank you, I get the picture," he interrupted as he struggled to get up. The red he had been seeing was actually blood seeping from a wound on his scalp.

"Did the best we could, but the cut is pretty deep. Maybe you should lie down some more?"

"No," he said firmly. With help from the two, he managed to get up on his feet. His head swam and he had to lean on both of them for support.

"I think we can manage steadying you till we get you to the Captain. It'll be like stepping on a ship's deck, it will."

"More like stepping back on land after a hard voyage," he replied.

"What do you mean?" asked the thin one on his left.

He turned his head weakly and smiled, revealing his perfect teeth. "I mean I am a seaman. A lieutenant in King Ferdinand's Navy."

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Not far from where the Lieutenant was found, a different trio stood beside a growing line of bodies. Two of the men looked askance as they watched and waited on the third who was poring over a roll of paper unfurled an inch from his face.

Captain Jack Sparrow peered over the parchment and at the bandaged Viceroy. The old man had dark circles around his eyes and it seemed like it was taking all his energy just to remain standing. Jack almost pitied him. Almost. No hugging until business is over and done with.

"So we are agreed then?" Viceroy Sebastian de Eslava asked, "That letter of marque will immediately grant you pardon for any crimes you've committed against the Spanish Crown. Not to mention, it gives you full access to every Spanish port from the Antilles to the Philippines."

Jack rubbed his moustache and made an exaggerated show of thinking things over. "I'll have you know I have plenty of experience in the rescuing of Governors' daughters. Damsels in distress are my bread and butter as it were."

"Now!" and he clapped his hands, "Eager as I am to fly under the Spanish flag, I still require a small recompense to be paid up front, right now, and into my ship's hold."

The officer who was standing beside the Viceroy immediately took a step forward. "You would dare demand more?" Admiral Montero glowered, "I am this close to having you arrested and hanged immediately on the town square, _Sparrow_!"

Jack nodded gravely in agreement. "I'm sure you are, _Almirante_. But there are two problems that go with that. Firstly, there is no longer a town square," and he gestured down the fort's sloped walls towards the charred and still-smoking town at the bottom, "And secondly, you would be hanging the only captain within miles who actually has a ship... add to that the _only_ ship that could actually catch up and outpace your renegade brigantine the Aguadama... Savvy?"

Admiral Montero angrily opened his mouth to reply but closed it again as the Viceroy raised his hand. "Very well," said the old man tiredly, "In what manner will this compensation be in the form of?"

"Ten crates of your finest confiscated rum," Jack smiled magnanimously.

As the Viceroy placed his seal on the letter of marque, three men came up to them, one supported by the other two.

"Bartolomeo!" exclaimed the Viceroy with relief, "I feared you dead."

"God has been gracious, sir. I owe my life to these two gentlemen with me," replied the Lieutenant as the two former Royal Marines beside him grinned widely.

"I request a boon if you will allow it, Lord Viceroy," he said, and when the old man nodded, he continued, "I wish to join the privateer captain on his ship when he makes sail."

Admiral Montero immediately shook his head and said, "Denied, Lieutenant de Lezo. You will stay here and wait for your wounds to heal and only then may you travel. I have a cutter squadron arriving from Cartagena and they will move to intercept the English."

"With respect Admiral, but by the time they get here the Aguadama could be halfway across the ocean by now," Bartolomeo looked pointedly at the Lord Viceroy, "I can rest while on the ship and besides, you will want a representative to go along in order to ensure Catherina's well-being should we catch up to the kidnappers."

Viceroy de Eslava regarded the man he had long considered a son before looking at the others. "It is your ship Captain, what say you?" he eventually inquired of Jack.

The latter had been scratching his beard all the while examining the Lieutenant from damaged head to toe. "What did you say your name was again?"

"Lieutenant Bartolomeo de Lezo. I command the convoys to Santiago and Panama."

"De Lezo. As in the sire of Blas de Lezo y Olavarrieta?"

"Indeed, sir. I am as much a seaman as my father was."

"I'm sure you are, son," said Jack as he scrutinized him, "How good are you with maps?"

Before Bartolomeo could reply, Jack waved his hand absently. "You're hired," was all he said as he stepped forward and gave the Viceroy a hug.

"A done deal then! Now if you don't mind I shall go oversee the loading of rum onto my ship while you three decide our heading. Let's go lads," he motioned at Murtogg and Mullroy and the three exited via the fort's damaged entrance.

When the three pirates were finally out of earshot, Bartolomeo faced the Viceroy. "I assume he doesn't know about your friend Concettina's betrayal and my father's maps?"

The Viceroy sighed, "In truth, I've only known the old witch for a short time though the Concettina family have long been allies of the de Eslavas in Genoa. If she had not produced a letter of introduction identifying her as a Concettina, I would not have gone through the trouble of welcoming her and pretending to know her."

He moved a hand over his eyes, "Instead, here I now stand with a head wound, a burned down fort, and a daughter kidnapped!"

The two men grew quiet until Admiral Montero finally dared to clear his throat, "Our mercenary captain knows only that we are after English privateers. While that much is true, he is not aware of the maps' existence, where they lead to, and what it could mean for the Americas. And we must keep it that way."

The Viceroy nodded solemnly, "As troubling as the maps could very well become, your first and only mission is to ensure Catherina's safety. Leave the fighting to the Admiral and his ships. The English will want to head west to enter the river Magdalena but try as they might, they won't be able to do so without the whole of Port Cartagena seeing them pass by."

"They were doomed the moment they sailed west," Montero said confidently, "They'll try to go north for Jamaica once they see us in front and behind but they won't outpace my cutters who'll be sailing with the wind."

"So west it is," replied Bartolomeo, "I suppose if there's anyone in the seven seas that could track down the Aguadama, it would be the famed Captain Jack Sparrow."

Montero stepped closer to Bartolomeo before speaking, "Be careful of Sparrow, Lieutenant. He is a wily fox and a deceitful snake. Use him to push these vile agents of the English towards the Cartagena Flotilla but rely on him no more than that."

"Well that's it then," the Viceroy sighed, "See to the town's survivors, Admiral. I wish to have a word with the Lieutenant."

Montero promptly saluted and left the two behind. Wounded man looked at wounded man, until the older cracked open a gentle smile.

"I see in your eyes the same pain reflected in mine, Bartolomeo. You are a good man. After all this is over, and my daughter is safely returned to my side, you may have my permission."

"Permission for what, sir?"

"Why, to marry my daughter of course."

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"She's got pretty hair."

Catherina opened her eyes to chains and bars. On the other side of the cage stood the scarred man.

"Good morning, my lady de Eslava. I apologize for the tight quarters but I'm afraid the Endeavour is quite a bit lacking in beds you see."

"Go to hell."

The other roared in laughter. "Oh but I have. We both have."

Catherina looked to where he indicated and noticed a person slumped inside a cage right beside her own. It was a man in rags, his face hidden in the shadows.

"Leave her alone, Beckett," the prisoner rasped.

"And I suppose you would prove to be of wittier company?" the scarred man asked, "Forgive him my lady. He still denies this gift of redemption given unto him."

The prisoner lurched forward but didn't go far as chains rattled all around him. "You call this redemption, you mad fool? Take to your heart; do you feel it at all?"

"I feel raging heat and that is all that matters. You should be grateful, James; it is not every day we get a chance for vengeance."

"I've made my peace with Sparrow and with myself a long time ago. It is _you_ who still denies the redemption that was given to us."

Beckett snickered but made no reply as he walked away. A long silence followed until Catherina pulled on her chains to better look at her fellow captive.

"What did you mean redemption? Who are you?" she asked of the shadow.

Another moment of silence dragged on until the prisoner sighed and inched forward. "The monster that you know as Concettina is almost powerless when on land. But on water, she reigns supreme. She holds sway over the fate of every fallen sailor, even defying the authority of the Flying Dutchman. But unlike her equally monstrous counterpart Calypso, she does not breathe life to those she waylays from their journey to the Locker."

The prisoner's arm shot out and grabbed Catherina's. Placing the latter's hand on his chest, he said to the frightened woman, "We are undead, my lady. Our heart does not beat and our blood is cool to the touch."

He released his hold and Catherina retreated to the back of her cage. She stared with eyes wide open until finally whispering, "Yet you sit on my side of the bars."

The prisoner grunted and replied, "Concettina needed lackeys for her journey inland, and what better place is there to recruit loyal servants than the depths of hell itself. She sought those with troubled hearts, misfits who have a strong connection to the living. She brought me back first but I refused to do her bidding. Beckett did otherwise."

"What was your strong connection?"

The prisoner flinched and slowly stood up. "I… betrayed the woman I loved. In the end, I died for her and I should have remained dead. But instead here I stand… an abomination!"

Catherina looked down but not before having noticed the moisture on the man's face.

"I welcome death but Beckett denies me the privilege," the latter muttered, "Were I to have lost all sense of decency I would already have asked you to strangle me with these chains."

"You need only ask and I will do so," replied Catherina and the prisoner looked at her with a glimmer of hope in his eyes, "But your hesitation in tainting my innocent hands makes you more human than monster."

She stood up and, after a deep breath, walked forward. "I may not feel the beat of your heart…" she said as she carefully reached past the bars to wipe away the prisoner's tears, "…but I feel your pain."

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It wasn't until night had arrived that Maracaibo vanished from view over the quarter deck of the Pearl. The two men nonetheless stared on as the South American shoreline became a frozen wave of ominous blackness in the horizon.

"I can never get used to it. The sight of my homeland disappearing before my very eyes. It is why I never wanted to become a sailor, but my father's legacy has made me so."

"A sign of the times: a Spaniard who has never been to Spain. Also called irony, mate."

"I suppose you have been to every corner of the known seas?"

"And beyond. I should probably tell you that the last time I agreed to help someone rescue their fair maiden I was almost eaten by cannibal natives, became prey to the Kraken, and then trapped in Davy Jones' Locker."

Bartolomeo looked at the Captain quizzically. "That adventure ended well I hope?" he asked.

"Oh, indeed. The fair maiden's husband is now a renowned captain of his own ship and he comes ashore to see his wife most regularly," replied Jack as he fiddled with his compass which seemed, at least to Bartolomeo, as defunct as its owner.

"Have you ever had a woman in your life, Captain?"

"Of course. Several usually. Depends on the size of the bed."

The Lieutenant shook his head as he leaned on the bulwarks. He looked up at the night sky slowly being populated by stars. "All my life, only one woman has continually taken my breath away every time I am with her," he said wistfully.

"Clearly you've never been to Singapore," Jack muttered, "Pure love never ends well, mate. It begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, and ends with a teardrop."

"Only in my case it starts with the tears. I have been less inclined to supress my feelings for Catherina ever since her disappearance."

"Well, pure love is also at its purest during the hour of separation."

Bartolomeo chuckled and said, "You are a strange man, Jack Sparrow. A romantic who has never been in love. Your irony at work, Captain."

"On the contrary," said Jack as he swiveled around with his compass in front of him, "I am a lover who has never known romance. I have loved many women, but I have had the good fortune of escaping each and every one of them. That is why I am not the one moaning wistfully over unsaid words while blood drips from my noggin."

Bartolomeo gingerly touched the bandage wrapped around his forehead. He looked a sorry sight for someone in the navy but technically the Pearl was not a navy boat.

"When do you think we'll catch up with the Aguadama?" he asked.

"Uncertain. We have to collect some few items first if we can ever hope to get ahead of them," Jack closed his compass and walked towards the fore, "Considering the wind is in their favor, they have quite a head start."

"Wait! The wind blows east and they head west. Our orders are to herd them towards the cutters arriving from Cartagena."

Jack stopped, looked over his shoulder, and then smiled. "We won't be going west because the Aguadama is not in fact at our west, but at our east. Your father's maps have told Thessalonike what she needed to know. And that is the truth that this secret river she looks for won't be found along the Magdalena."

Bartolomeo stood dumbfounded as Jack laid his hands on the ship's wheel. "It's why I brought you along, lad. You already know what she wanted to know, you just don't know you know. Now tell me, how much do you know of what your father knew about the river Amazon?"

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_Note:_

_ Hopefully the pacing of this chapter wasn't too uneven. Ended up combining two chapters into one.  
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_ And yes, that is the James that I know you think you know._


	3. Tales of Gold and Immortal Life

**Tales of Gold and Immortal Life**

The hold of the Endeavour was almost completely pitch black what with the torch lamps having gone out. Nobody had come to relight them and Catherina suspected that no one ever will for the rest of the night. Not that she needed the light, she thought as she rubbed around her wrists where her chains dug into her skin.

Her movements caught the attention of her fellow prisoner who regarded her with interest. Despite the blackness, James could see the vague silhouette of her graceful form. A beautiful rose in a sea of ugliness.

"Can't sleep?" he asked, breaking his own revelry.

"I haven't slept since Maracaibo."

"Have you… someone waiting for you there?" he asked indifferently.

"Friends. And my father. But the last I saw of him, he was lying in a pool of his own blood."

James grew quiet as he listened to Catherina's steady breathing. "I'm sure he is alive," he finally said, "The whole Spanish Armada would be looking for you by now."

It was Catherina's turn to become silent, not taking much conviction in his words. She wondered what her father and Bartolomeo were doing now. Were they really alive and looking for her? Maracaibo was burning brightly when she last saw it.

"James?"

"Hmm?"

"What is it like…? To be dead. Do you meet in the afterlife all those who've passed away before you?"

James looked at her a moment, trying to discern her face. "Sailors call heaven Fiddler's Green, where angels dance and a harmonious fiddle plays on and on. But the truth? I remember little save a strange calmness as I was stabbed on the chest and the world around me faded into nothingness."

"And when you were… resurrected?"

"It was… harsh. A rude awakening as if you were abruptly denied the rest of your sleep after a long day's work."

Catherina hugged herself as if not wanting the unusual warmth gotten from the sharing of their misery to slip away. For what it was worth, she had a friend in this metaphorical darkness.

"James?"

"Yes?"

"It is selfish of me to ask but… please don't die just yet."

This time James sat up and leaned close to the bars to peer at Catherina's face. The latter's eyes were wide open with fear but there were no tear streaks. Her long raven hair flowed to her neck and down to her simple and revealing gown.

James looked away and sat with his back against the bars between them. After what seemed like an eternity, he replied softly.

"I won't. We'll wait for your father together."

* * *

><p>.<p>

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Bartolomeo had one hand on his rapier which was slung on his waist. On his other side was a pistol but it had no shot in it. He doubted if he could load it quickly enough should things go terribly wrong in the Captain's cabin.

Across the table sat Jack and his apparent quartermaster Gibbs with the former talking animatedly to the silent Bartolomeo.

"Savvy?"

"No," the Lieutenant said curtly, "I do not understand. Madame Concettina, who you call Thessalonike, is an English spy and nothing more. All this talk of goddesses of the sea is utter fabrication."

"And yet you believe that your father's maps point to a magical place somewhere in the Andes."

"It is known only to a few in the Spanish Americas. The explorer Orellana learned the truth of it several centuries ago when he went searching for El Dorado. The knowledge of where it is located died with him however but he passed on the terrible truth of this Lost City. Others like my father had long sworn to protect this continent. We would defend it even from a rumor. You on the other hand, have yet to tell me how you know of the maps and the English's intentions."

The other leaned forward and passed the bottle of rum to the Lieutenant who took it with his free hand but made no move to drink. "The waters talk to me, lad."

Bartolomeo frowned and looked at Gibbs who nodded gravely. "Aye, that and the wenches in Tortuga. Tales of gold and immortal life, there be no holding them back when it comes to gossipin'."

"Orellana found no gold in his journey. And he obviously did not gain longevity from that place. You waste your time gentlemen… but so long as you aid me in recovering Catherina, I will remember what I can about this obscure river that everyone seems to be looking for."

Jack smiled and leaned back with his hands behind his head. "You'll have your bonnie lass. As captain, I can marry the both of you straight off on the Pearl's deck should you wish it. As for the hidden river, it is the first step to entering this world within our world. It also joins with the Amazon which is our intended destination… after we make a few necessary stops."

A brief silence followed as each was lost in his own thoughts until Bartolomeo finally sighed. He took a swig from the bottle and released his hold on his rapier. "Just one thing then," he spoke up, "How will we navigate around the river's multitude of bends and curves let alone _sail_ the ship against the current? And surely the Amazon will be too narrow and shallow at certain points."

Before Jack could reply, a window burst open and in came flying a Blue-and-Gold Macaw that landed firmly on the Captain's shoulder.

"_Land ahoy! Land ahoy! La Malinche! La Malinche!_" barked the parrot.

Jack smiled again and looked at the Lieutenant with that now-familiar and arrogant smirk on his face. "Son… I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. You let me worry about sailing the Amazon."

With that, he stood up and headed for the main deck. As the other two followed behind him, Bartolomeo whispered to Gibbs, "This La Malinche… I feel like I should know it. Is it an island?"

"Cortes' mistress," replied Gibbs, "She be a banshee who plies these shores. She revenges on sailors for the untimely demise of her Aztec people. Many Spaniards have been lost to her wailing cry."

"I can't wait to meet her then," muttered Bartolomeo and after a moment of silence, then said, "Why in the world are we meeting her?"

"Well, for leverage I says. To make our journey easier. Her abode holds a great many junk and valuables from sunken ships. We be needin' a particular item from her trove: Davy Jones' lost musical locket."

Bartolomeo shook his head and sighed. "I'm almost afraid to ask but what do we need the locket for?"

"Well, for leverage…"

* * *

><p>.<p>

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They ended up talking throughout the night until Catherina finally drifted away into blissful sleep. Her rest would be cut short however by shouts and footsteps thundering above deck. Chains also rattled as she heard James moving around. She yawned and lazily made to turn on her back but soon bolted upright as a loud grating sound tore through the darkness. As she struggled to focus on what was occurring, her cage's door made a groaning sound before loudly falling right beside her.

"How did—"

"A little trick I learned from a blacksmith turned pirate," James said as he grabbed her wrists. He produced two thin pieces of metal crudely shaped as needles.

"I've been saving these for a chance at taking down Beckett," he said as he fiddled with Catherina's locks, "But your arrival changed things. I was hoping to wait until I could be certain we were close to land before freeing you."

"What is going on?" Catherina demanded as she was pulled up and dragged out of her cage.

"He's found us. The Endeavour has long been marked since being risen from the depths. You must leave. Jump overboard if you must but you cannot be here when he comes."

"_Who?_ Who has found us?"

Before James could reply, a loud whistling sound came from outside and he instinctively wrapped his arms around Catherina. The latter screamed as the blackness of the hold literally exploded into white then crimson as a cannonball exploded right where her cage had been.

Small spurts of flames burned on shattered wood and suddenly Catherina could see clearly as if it were day. A large hole was present on the Endeavour's side and through it she saw the vague outlines of another ship rapidly coming abreast with the Endeavour.

She was unable to discern whether it was a Spanish galleon or not as James kicked open a door and pushed her through. They entered a large galley where various crates were stacked on each other. A lone sailor looked up to them in surprise and pulled out a cutlass.

The sword barely lasted a second on the sailor's hand as James rushed forward and throttled him on the groin. The weapon switched ownership and Catherina stifled a gasp as the sailor's neck blossomed red.

"Come on, now's not the time!" James shouted with one hand beckoning at her and the other holding the cutlass.

Catherina only nodded numbly as she grabbed hold onto the offered hand. "Why must we flee? That ship could be my father's or at the very least friendly," she stammered between breaths as she struggled to keep up.

"No," James replied firmly, "I know the sound of those cannons and I know those sails. The Dutchman is no friend of yours and certainly no friend of mine."

"The Flying Dutchman? But—"

James stopped and turned around. He roughly grabbed on to Catherina's shoulders and looked her straight in the eye.

"I told you. Concettina has the power over departed souls but they have always been the domain of the ferryman, the captain of the Dutchman. It is his duty and right to ferry the dead and the witch has violated that right by resurrecting us and the Endeavour. With her and Beckett on your father's stolen ship, the Endeavour is left without protection and is thus easy prey for the Dutchman."

He squeezed Catherina's shoulders before relaxing his grip. "Please," he said softly, "I do not wish to see once more a beautiful woman's face marred with anger and disappointment because I failed to do what was right."

"Now come. It is my fate to return to the depths but it is one that you must not share," he said as he grabbed Catherina's hand and made to move on, "You can take a longboat—"

Both froze in their tracks as a blade extended itself within an inch of James' nose. The latter immediately pulled Catherina behind him before calmly facing the man that blocked their path.

"Norrington. You know why I am here," said the man in a gravelly voice.

"Yes. And I welcome your blade once more but this woman with me does not belong here. She is of the living and is thusly not under your captain's influence."

"Aye, but this ship is. Every sailor, every nail, and every plank of wood. She can die slowly of drowning or I can be merciful and make this swift. And I mean no malice with that."

James looked at the man coldly before swatting away the latter's blade with his cutlass. He raised his own weapon to the man's face.

"Cutler Beckett," he intoned, "The Dutchman remains blind to his whereabouts for as long as the witch protects him."

The man cocked his head slightly and said, "Say on."

"I know where they intend to go. I can give you Beckett or I can kill him myself. In return I ask only that you spare Catherina."

The man was silent for a moment as he looked over his shoulder as if listening to someone whispering in his ear. After a moment, he returned his attention to James. "My son agrees to your deal. But the terms are these: You will deliver Beckett by any means possible. Should you fail in your task, the woman's freedom is forfeit. She will become part of the crew… part of the ship."

James' throat tightened and his cutlass wavered. All around them, the ship made groaning noises followed by the screams of the dying. An impending sense of doom pervaded the galley.

"Very well," he finally blurted out and lowered his sword arm.

The man nodded once and extended his hand which James reluctantly shook.

"Take a boat then and row north. The fog will let you through and guide you towards an old friend. He will help you in your task."

Catherina blinked her eyes as the man suddenly vanished from view. And along with him went every noise in the ship. She exhaled and her breath echoed in every nook and cranny.

"Come on," said James as he grabbed onto her with hands now colder and clammier than before. They had already moved on to the next deck level which was just as deserted as the others when Catherina finally got hold of her senses and pulled herself away.

"Wait!" she shouted, "What just happened back there? What was that about a deal?"

James did not look in her eyes as he responded, "I seem to be only making things worse and worse for you. Captain Turner will let you live but in return we have to claim for him the lives of Beckett and the others that were brought back to this world by Concettina. Like her, the ferryman has no power over land, which is why he agreed to the deal. Should we fail… you will meet a fate worse than death."

He looked down and gripped the sword tightly on his hand. The silence dragged on and he hoped for a slap to the face, anything to break the quiet. Instead, he found her hand enveloping his.

"We should hurry then," said Catherina and James soon found himself the one being dragged along. They were quiet the rest of the way but James noted the assuring firmness of her grip. Once they were above deck, James immediately started working on lowering a longboat to the water.

"I heard only a little from her conversations with my father, but what does Concettina seek exactly?" Catherina asked as she helped him with the ropes.

"The Lost City," replied James while rolling out a rope ladder over the side. He lifted Catherina over the rails and the latter grabbed onto the ladder.

"El Dorado? After what I've seen here I may be inclined to believe you but what would a sea goddess want with gold?" She asked as she started going down.

James quickly followed her and when they were both finally on the longboat, he replied, "The Muisca people had long traversed the northern parts of South America. Throughout the continent, you'll find many places marked sacred by these natives. The largest and most important of these places is believed to actually be the city of El Dorado itself."

He dipped the paddles out before continuing. "Now this city may very well be made of solid gold since it was tradition for the Muisca to offer treasures to their gods, but amassing wealth is not the point of it. You see, to them, gold is a representation of all life. It symbolizes the power of their gods who created everyone and everything. Gold is life and life is water. And to the Muisca, El Dorado is where life begins. More specifically, it is where the Amazon River truly originates."

"And how does Concettina tie into this?"

James was silent a moment as he rowed towards the fog. "There is no such thing as immortality. You can only take as much as you can give. It is said Blackbeard learned the truth of it at the Fountain of Youth. Alexander the Great did the same when he travelled to the Spring of Life and gave away the years of his life to his sister. But even those years will run out. Concettina's end is drawing near and she seeks to prolong the inevitable once more."

Behind them, hidden by the fog, a series of explosions erupted as the Endeavour was shattered by cannon fire. Catherina however ignored the spectacle as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.

"And if she takes from this 'goldwater' of El Dorado?" she asked quietly.

"She will receive from the very same trickle of water that gives life to the Amazon. The balance must be preserved. She will become young once more and the great river will dry up and shrivel, dooming every wildlife and plant of nature that calls the Americas their home."

James stopped rowing to look solemnly at Catherina. "As damning as it sounds, for the sake of her own longevity, she would kill a whole continent."


	4. Hero or Villain?

**Hero or Villain?**

La Malinche's island was nothing more than a slab of jet black basalt that stretched out a mile on each direction. Further out to sea, jagged rocks of varying sizes protruded from the water's surface, making difficult the journey towards the island's shore.

The Jolly boat creaked and groaned under the weight of the six men and one parrot that rode on it. Fog reduced visibility to near zero making the rowing slow and arduous.

"Why is it that every villain must always live in some desolate place so far removed from civilized society?" muttered Murtogg as he pulled on an oar.

"Because otherwise they would no longer be considered villains," Mullroy replied beside him.

"Why be a villain at all? A hero gets to live in a wonderful palace decked with treasures, fawning women, and bountiful food."

"Then based on your words, where is my wonderful palace?"

"We don't get one because we're pirates. We're the villains."

"Not in this adventure we're not. We're the heroes… aren't we?"

"Quiet," Gibbs raised a finger for silence, "Look to the waters."

Everyone peered over the boat's side. The water was murky and dark but they saw what Gibbs had seen. Deep on the seabed were all manners of shipwreck from whole galleons to small rowboats such as theirs.

"It be a graveyard," Gibbs whispered.

"Better than that," said the Captain up front, "It's a collection." Jack then raised a lantern to his face and peered ahead.

"Make for the cove, lads," he said after spotting a small inlet, "and be welcomed to Banshee Island."

No one spoke the rest of the way as the water became shallow and the cliffs loomed above. They moored the boat at the foot of a dismal path that led upwards and inwards to the center of the dead island.

"Mister Cotton, you and your parrot guard the boat," Jack barked at an old man who nodded and gripped an oar with both hands. The others then stepped gingerly ashore and surveyed their surroundings.

"Looks like there's only one way up," said Bartolomeo, the sixth of their company, "Unless you care to climb those cliffs."

Jack flipped open his compass and waved it around. "A path always has two ends, mate. And this one is no different."

With that, he abruptly turned around and faced the ocean with his lantern in front of him before proceeding to walk on water. Everyone stared and their jaws dropped open.

"There's your palace, lads," was all he said as he strutted on without sinking.

"The light!" Mullroy exclaimed and pointed at Jack's feet where the light from the lantern shone on the water's surface. Wherever the lantern illuminated, an image of clear blue skies was reflected.

Jack stopped dead center of the inlet and faced the others. "Up…" he began, "…is down." And he plunged feet first underwater.

The others stared at where he stood, then at each other, and back again. Moments later, Bartolomeo shrugged and pulled out a torch from the boat. With lit torch showing his way, he followed Jack's path and jumped into the same spot at the center.

At first he feared he made a grave mistake as the cold depths swallowed him but the water suddenly warmed up and became clearer. He swam upwards and emerged unscathed under the pleasant rays of the sun. He was surprised to find that the water level only reached up to his ankles and that he was standing on stone steps half submerged under the clear blue water. Several moments later, Gibbs, Murtogg, and Mullroy surfaced beside him.

"A palace indeed!" sputtered Gibbs as the three stared at the island. Instead of forbidding cliffs and black rocks, they were greeted by the sight of sandy beaches and green waving leaves. The palm trees and the sand they ignored however as they stared at the massive structure that appeared to encompass most of the island.

"The Templo Mayor," whispered the amazed Bartolomeo, "The last of the Aztec temples of Mexico said to have been destroyed by Hernan Cortes and his conquistadors."

"I wouldn't mention that name if I were you, mate," someone shouted above them and the three looked up the stairs to see Jack leaning by a statue and whirling his compass around a finger.

"Hell hath no greater fury than a woman scorned," Gibbs said as he looked warily around. "Now come, Lieutenant. We be needin' to find this locket before we are discovered."

The four followed Jack as he climbed the massive steps that led to the first of the four terraces that encompassed the temple. All along walls and balustrades, various statues of animals and gods were on display and layered with rich polychromatic paint.

"Where do we begin to look?" Bartolomeo asked Gibbs.

"We follow Jack who follows his desires. There be no detourin' on our part lest you want to be caught by the banshee."

"How do we even know she's not watching us right now?"

"She be makin' plenty of noise. She weeps for her children, the Aztec peoples, and wails for the man who abandoned her."

They reached the first terrace which was awash completely in black paint. Every few meters, statues of jaguars stood majestically facing outwards. Aside from the statues, there was little else of note and so they continued onwards to the next level.

The second terrace was bathed in white translucent paint that shone brightly under the sun's rays. Another difference was that instead of jaguars, the pedestals held statues of monkeys looking up to the heavens.

"I hate monkeys," Jack muttered.

No one else spoke as the five continued on to the next set of steps. By the time they got to the third terrace, feet and joints ached and sweat dripped from foreheads. The terrace this time had no single paint dominating it. Though a few patterns were painted here and there, the stucco covered walls and floors were largely left bare.

"No statues?" Murtogg piped up.

"Ironically, no. Especially considering the denizens of this level," said Mullroy as he took off his hat with disgust. He shook away as much of the white droppings as he could.

"An aviary?" Bartolomeo ventured as everyone looked up. Atop walls and posts were various perches and cages where birds of all sorts flitted in and out.

"The third level of hell it is," Mullroy muttered as he gingerly put his hat back on. They navigated the maze of fecal matter in order to reach the next section of steps. They had yet to reach the fourth level when they heard the sound of flowing liquid.

The topmost terrace was split into four squares each filled to the brim with water. At the middle of each square, a small fountain bubbled up and dropped down amidst water lilies and stalks of long grass. At the absolute centre of the terrace was a raised platform where a small domed building stood.

Bartolomeo kneeled beside one of the ponds and dipped his hand into the water. After a moment, he scooped up a handful and took a sip.

"Salty… it's seawater," he remarked, "Probably connected somehow to the ocean."

He then stood up and made for Jack who was circling the domed building. A massive stone door was on one side facing the steps to the lower terraces. Beside the door was a pedestal lacking a statue.

Jack regarded the door for a moment before grabbing onto the intricate designs that were carved into the door's surface. He tugged and grunted but the door did not budge. He swiveled around and faced the others.

"I think it's locked," he said to the benefit of no one.

"I don't suppose your compass can tell us where to find the key?" Bartolomeo asked wearily.

"Ah. But to need a key you would have to have a lock. And I see none on this door."

"So… no locks means it's not locked then?" Murtogg piped up.

"It is," Bartolomeo said as he furled his brows, "It just has a different kind of lock and thusly would need a different kind of key." He started pacing back and forth in concentration.

"I must say, Jack," he said, stopping to watch the slight movements occurring in one of the ponds, "There is never a dull moment when I am with you."

Jack grinned, "Glad to see you're enjoying yourself de Lezo. Stick with me and I'll show you a whole new world. Several even. More, if you count the metaphorical ones. Now, tell me of this idea that's got your eyes all lit up."

"The Five Worlds," Bartolomeo replied immediately and he looked to the stairs, "Each of the four terraces represents one of the four worlds that have come to pass according to Aztec myth."

He walked towards the top of the stairs and gestured below at the lower terraces. "The First World was heralded by the God of Night. The first people, the giants, were eaten by the god's jaguars. The Second World was preceded by the God of Light's ascension and his people were turned into monkeys."

He turned around and headed back to the domed building while continuing to talk. "The Third World had the God of Rain as its sun. Unfortunately he was a moody sort and rained fire instead of water thus killing his people until only birds remained."

"The Fourth," he swept his arm to indicate the square ponds around them, "was heralded by the Goddess of the Waters whose people became fish."

He stopped in front of the door and took a deep breath before leaping atop the empty pedestal beside it. "The Fifth World is our world," he said quietly, "inhabited by Man and ruled by the Sun God of War."

No sooner had he finished speaking when a loud rumbling reverberated under their feet. Bartolomeo maintained his balance on the pedestal as the temple shook and the stone door split open. Five heads peeked inside to see a staircase that spiraled downwards into the depths of the temple.

"Nothing is gained without taking the first step, gentlemen," Jack said and he looked expectantly at the others. Mullroy nudged Murtogg and Gibbs looked away. Seconds later, Bartolomeo sighed and stepped forward.

The descent was lengthier than their earlier climb of the outer stairs. And when they finally reached the bottom, Bartolomeo suspected they were under sea level. The bottom of the stairs opened up to a massive rectangular chamber supported by four giant pillars at its corners. From each of the pillars, a waterfall flowed down to a square pond not unlike the ones atop the temple. Torches burned brightly on all walls, showing an empty throne at the far end of the room.

"There's one thing I don't understand," said Murtogg as they advanced slowly towards the dais of the throne.

"Only one?" Mullroy snickered.

"One encompassing many. This La Malinche is a villain yes? As supported by her spooky dark island, uninhabitable as it were. And yet she has this incredible palace that fits the word 'wonderful' in every which way. So which is she: a villain or a hero?"

Gibbs grunted and replied, "Some say she is a doting mother that mourns for her children. Others say that she is—"

"—a bitch. A bitch who drinks the blood of men who dare intrude upon her home," said a feminine voice.

Hands laid on swords as a hooded woman appeared from behind the throne. Closer inspection revealed that she was dressed only in a large yard of cloth colored red and white that she wrapped around her body and over her head.

"That has got to be the sexiest flag post I have ever seen," remarked Jack, indicating the woman and the flag of New Spain draped around her.

The woman smiled at him and leaned on the throne, revealing a long shapely leg that she poised in front of her.

"Why see when you can touch…" she said sultrily and beckoned to Jack who immediately stepped atop the dais and placed his arms around her waist.

The woman smiled once more and the naval flag slid down to the ground, revealing a stunning beauty. "Why touch when you can feel…" the enigma whispered as she leaned forward to give Jack, who closed his eyes, a kiss on the neck.

"Don't!"

Jack's eyes snapped open and he saw a shadow loom behind him. He felt Bartolomeo pull him away before finding himself hurtling towards Gibbs. The lieutenant ignored the grunts of pain behind as he kept his gaze on the woman who stepped back and screamed a scream that pierced the others' eardrums and made waves on the ponds.

The woman then bent her knees and summersaulted several feet over and above Bartolomeo, after which she landed in between the disoriented Murtogg and Mullroy. She made to grab for their necks but was instead thrown back as Bartolomeo's rapier flew through the air and impacted her, carrying her several feet away. She hissed and clawed at the blade protruding from her chest until Jack silenced her for good with a shot from his pistol.

"And thus another love ends," said Jack sadly before being pulled up by Gibbs. He then summarily patted himself off and recovered his hat which he lost during the tussle.

"That's three I owe you," he said to Bartolomeo as he passed him by.

"Three?"

"Yes. One for saving my life, two for solving the riddle of the stone door, and three for telling me what to do next."

Jack stepped into one of the ponds and waddled towards the waterfall pillar in the middle. He kept walking as he looked back over his shoulder.

"This whole island is a mirror, lads. Up is down and down is—" and he fell face first into the water.

The others waited for him to resurface and when he didn't, Bartolomeo sighed for the umpteenth time. Barely a week had passed since he first met Sparrow and already he felt like having had more than enough of his fill of these 'new worlds' that the Captain had promised to show him.

He walked towards the woman's body where he retrieved his rapier. As he pulled the blade out, a faint rattle emitted from the woman's lovely lips.

He looked to the others and quickly said, "What say we emulate the Captain and trip ourselves silly into the water?"

The others nodded vigorously and they all jumped into whichever pond was closest to where they stood. Bartolomeo experienced the same sensation of uncertainty before finally resurfacing to a lake within a rocky cavern. He looked around and saw the familiar black rock which told him they were somehow back on the first island once more. Up above, shafts of light shone down from holes on the natural ceiling.

He waited for the others to appear before swimming for shore. He pulled himself out of the water with the help of a stalagmite and dropped exhaustedly on the ground.

"Ooh, a Spaniard," said a woman's voice above him and he immediately bolted upright and scuttled away on all fours while struggling to pull out his rapier. After finally managing to pull free his weapon, he pointed it immediately in front of him whilst still lying down on his back.

"A sprightly one this," said the old woman, who was dressed in simple native attire, to her companion beside her, "Can I keep him?"

"No can do _Doña_ Malinche," said Jack, "I still need him for what he knows. He's the son of Blas de Lezo he is."

"Ah, Blas… Now there's a Spaniard who cut quite a figure," the old woman reminisced before looking at Bartolomeo, "I must apologize to you for your father's death. It was my fault you know. I gave him Orellana's maps, trusting that he'd do the right thing when he finds the Lost City. Unfortunately there are many others out there with less noble hearts. They sought the maps and ultimately the secrets of the Lost City and your father paid the price for thwarting them."

Bartolomeo lowered his rapier and slowly stood up. "You mean the invasion of Cartagena, when the English besieged the port," he said, "You're telling me my father died defending a mythical place?"

"No child. I'm saying he died defending the New World. The Lost City is real and the threat to the Amazon much more so. Your father fought against mortal men but you stand against a god. You will need all the aid you can get."

She walked to the back of the cavern where a plethora of chests and crates were strewn about. She clambered over them and started rummaging. Over her shoulder came flying old fashioned dresses, pots, pans, and all sorts of junk. When she finally found what she was looking for, she ambled back to the others and grinned.

"Don't blame the inanimate rocks if you're too blind to see where you're sailing your ship," she giggled before handing Jack two items. The first was a small leather pouch and the second was an ornate silver locket shaped like a heart.

"The Americas is my home and its citizens, Spaniards and all, are my children. You travel with the wrong intentions, Jack Sparrow, but I trust you will do what is right when it matters the most."

She then turned to face Bartolomeo who had grown quiet. "Calm your heart and mind, Spaniard. If what I have revealed has hurt you then perhaps what I will reveal next will make amends."

She gestured behind Bartolomeo and the latter turned around to see two people emerge from a cave entrance.

"So we meet again, Sparrow," said one of them. Jack shuddered and hid behind Gibbs' shoulder.

Bartolomeo meanwhile, fell to his knees, overwhelmed by emotions of bliss and relief as Catherina smothered him with hugs and tears.


	5. The Opportune Moment

**The Opportune Moment**

The two men disliked each other the moment they laid eyes on one another.

Their first argument revolved around the Lady de Eslava, with Bartolomeo demanding that they turn around for Maracaibo at once, and with James insisting that they continue on with their journey. The latter was endorsed by Jack, whose opinion everyone ignored, and then by Catherina, who ended all discussion.

Their second argument started with a passing quip about the weather which then evolved to a full blown debate about how to sail a ship through a storm. By the time Jack and Catherina joined their company, the argument had turned into a shouting match. And with the enchanting lady now present, the ideas they fired off became more and more ridiculous as the afternoon went by.

"…because Beckett has a sea goddess with him while we have an unhinged drunkard of a pirate for a captain! Under the witch's command, the Aguadama could grow legs and walk all over the rainforest for all we know!"

"Actually," Jack said, "I'm only half drunk since it's still only a quarter past two. And there'll be no walking, ship legs or otherwise, since El Dorado's entrance is symbolically and geographically connected to water. So in order for your Concettina to gain admission to the Lost City, she must first find this 'water', which can only be found at the end of our mystery river, which in turn can only be found by sailing the Amazon… Savvy?"

James glared at him and Catherina quickly made to interject. "But why the Amazon? Why couldn't Concettina just have walked over land to this hidden river?"

"Impractical. Assuming that she somehow has the means to travel the Amazon River, it would be better than travelling over the Andes mountain ranges, Ecuadorian jungles, or going all round to Peru's shores," said Bartolomeo.

"Not only that, you won't find the river while on land. It's connected to the Amazon, lass. And it'll be on the Amazon where it'll show itself," added Jack.

Catherina looked at both men dubiously but kept quiet. Noticing her uncertainty, Bartolomeo smiled at her encouragingly.

"I have long studied my father's maps," he said, "And after hearing La Malinche's descriptions of where the Muisca's sacred grounds are, I think I know which river we seek. But I'll only provide the directions piecemeal. No offense Jack but I'll not risk having you maroon us on an island after learning what you need."

Jack looked hurt as he replied, "That doesn't sound like me."

"How are we even certain that you truly know where this river is let alone know if it's the right one?"

"I've been poring over those maps ever since I was a child," Bartolomeo began hotly, "And I know my country much more than you ever will, Norrington. I wouldn't dare gamble with Catherina's life so lightly, unlike you and your damned deal with the Dutchman's captain."

"I gave her a second chance, a chance that's seemingly going to waste because of your arrogance. Are we really going to let this young pup lead us around in circles in the blasted jungles? All he will have done is put our lives at risk."

"I didn't know you still _have _a life to risk, you horrific little—"

"Anyway!" Catherina stomped on Bartolomeo's toes. "Will the Pearl even manage? It took Orellana a couple thousand canoes to move his men around the Amazon," she remarked while looking at Jack with eyes pleading for the latter to stir the conversation to calmer waters.

"Monsoon season, love. The Amazon River will be so bloated to the point that we won't be worrying about reefing on shoals but on treetops."

"And surely you don't expect us to row all the way against the current?" Catherina asked, relieved that the other two had stopped bickering in order to listen in.

Jack smiled. "If Beckett can do it why can't we? If the water flows east we simply have it reverse direction."

"Oh, it was _that_ simple. Perhaps we should also prove that the world is flat after all, but not before we give evidence that pigs can, in fact, fly in the sky," James said sarcastically.

"Your lack of faith is astounding for someone having literally risen from the grave," Bartolomeo quipped, "Yet we have still to hear a single sound idea from you."

"Perhaps you would hear better if I boxed you proper on the ears."

"Truly? Well make sure you don't lose an arm while doing it, you walking corpse."

"I'll only need one flick of a finger—"

"For the love of God," Catherina exclaimed exasperatedly, "You two are like children bereft of their mother's tit!"

She huffed and wrapped her arm around Jack's. With her nose pointed high in the air, and with the grinning Captain in tow, she strutted away leaving the other two looking on in bemusement.

"Well at least there's one thing we can agree on," muttered James as they stared with dagger-filled eyes at Jack's retreating back.

Meanwhile, after coming out of sight of the other two, Jack deftly moved behind Catherina with one hand now around her waist and the other holding up her wrist.

He leaned over to whisper softly in her ear, "You know love, there's more than one way to skin a cat."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm just saying if you need to scratch your itch that much, I am rather talented in the areas of… _relaciones sexuales_?"

Catherina rolled her eyes and swatted Jack's groping hands away. "Your talent is wasted on me then, Captain, for I'd sooner join a convent. Now excuse me as I have to go look for a change of clothes."

"I can make you change your mind, love," Jack shouted at her as she walked away.

Catherina ignored the Captain as she moved on while looking down critically at her attire. Her nightgown had been replaced by a gaudy two-century old dress given to her by La Malinche. Abhorent as the dress was, she was unable to refuse the kindly old woman who fawned all over her.

Before she could go rummaging below deck however, the watchman above peered at something floating on the water. As the ship drew closer he began to make out the clutter. Pieces of wood, a casket, and a—

"_MAN OVERBOARD!_"

All hands rushed to the side of the ship where he pointed. Amidst some debris was a man lying face down on a plank of wood.

"Brale the sails and come about!" Jack shouted. Once the Pearl came into respectable distance, a boat was lowered and made for the man on the water. It took a while longer but the unconscious man soon lay sprawled on the deck.

"He looks fine," said Bartolomeo who kneeled by the man's head, "Healthy in fact. Might be just exhausted."

He checked the man's vital signs before examining the latter's hands, "Spanish perhaps Portuguese… but his hands do not have have callouses marking him a sailor. Maybe an official travelling to his new post? Nonetheless, take him to the Captain's quarters to sleep it off."

"Think they be runnin' into Concettina?" Gibbs asked.

"If his ship did, that means we're not that far behind them," Bartolomeo replied while wondering if that was good news or bad.

After a moment, he shook his head and said, "I'll go check on him some more."

He made to follow the man being carried while Jack moved to catch up with him. The Captain draped his arm over the other's shoulder and leaned forward with a grin.

"So, Lieutenant. Have you talked to the Lady de Eslava yet?"

"About what?"

"The subject of your becoming a couple, your unity, your ball and chain… your _merree- ajh_?"

Bartolomeo sighed, "You've seen how stubborn she is. She'll probably go against our betrothal just for the sake of contesting it."

"To the point that she might do something stupid like say, find comfort in another man's arms?"

When Bartolomeo gave him a look, Jack quickly added, "I'm speaking of the Commodore, of course. He is her heroic rescuer after all."

"I think Catherina has much more sense than that. She has the strength of will of her father and the wit and acumen of her late mother."

"Still. It's a small ship, de Lezo. Those two will bump into each other more often than not. And all that bumping could turn into caressing, and all that caressing could—"

"Thank you, Captain, for your concern. But I think I'll wait for the right time to tell her," Bartolomeo said brusquely but Jack saw the glimmer in his eyes.

* * *

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Meanwhile, the subject of their discussion was busy attending to her tasks. Considering a wardrobe change her first and utmost mission, Catherina made for the ladders leading below deck but was intercepted by James before she could get far.

"The banshee has good taste, your dress is very becoming," he said.

Catherina made no comment as she instead asked, "Has our shipwrecked man recovered yet?"

"No, but the young Lieutenant is doing well enough playing doctor."

Catherina sighed. "Back on the Endeavour, I distinctly recall you having said that you would have very much liked to meet Bartolomeo someday."

"Well, from your descriptions of him, I had expected him to be more… brotherly."

"He is practically my brother," said Catherina and James' eyes lit up.

"Aside from my father, he's pretty much the only man I've had in my life," she added and James' eyes darkened once more.

He was about to question if what she said shouldn't be taken out of context but ended up lamely asking, "So are you off to visit the patient then?"

"No, I'm going to raid Bartolomeo's chest of clothes," she laughed, "Trust Spanish men to always be fashionably prepared."

James simply nodded and Catherina walked away. He sighed and turned around only to have Jack's smiling face inches from his.

"You really need to work on your courtship skills, Commodore," said the Captain.

"What do you want Sparrow?"

"Just here to spread the good news… The Lieutenant intends to marry the Lady de Eslava and as you know I have the power as Captain of the ship to make good that intention."

"Marry? She's not fool enough to accept such a ridiculous proposal—"

"Elizabeth was no fool either."

James glared at Jack to which the other raised his hands placatingly, "I'm just saying… You can help me help you."

He walked past James with purposeful slowness. A few seconds passed until a sigh of aggravation came from behind.

"Oh all right!" James exclaimed, "We can't very well have these kinds of disturbances on our journey. Now how do you intend to help me?"

Jack turned and placed a hand inside his coat. "The prize is the woman's affection. Her affection dictated by her delight. Her delight by her needs. And what she needs right now," and he pulled out his hand to reveal a bundle of reddish clothes, "is a fairy godmother."

"All you need to know is I've always been rooting for you mate," added the pirate with a straight face.

* * *

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Catherina made her way to the small cuddy beside the Captain's cabin that Bartolomeo used as a bunk. The small room's floor was almost completely occupied by a bed and a chest. She closed the door before slipping out of her dress after a minute of struggle.

Before she could rifle through the chest of garments however, the door swung open only to close quickly back as Catherina slammed it shut with her foot.

"Your father would have a fit," said a red faced Bartolomeo who rubbed his even redder nose.

"And have you whipped... for barging into a lady's room," Catherina replied behind the door.

Bartolomeo sighed, not bothering to mention that it was _his_ room she was intruding in. He listened for a moment to the rustle of garments.

"By the way, what did you want to speak with me about?" said Catherina.

"Ah, well. I think we should save that conversation for when we're face to face."

"Why bother? You barely look at me in the eyes whenever we speak anyway."

"But my lady—"

"And there you go again. Tell me truly Bartolomeo de Lezo. Since when have I ever been a lady to you? I still remember as if it were yesterday the times when we'd chase each other by Lake Maracaibo. Then you began your martial training and started treating me just as woodenly as you treat your superiors and my father."

"We were children back then. I can't very well go building sand castles with you anymore—"

The door swung open and Catherina stopped out. Gone was the dress to be replaced by a simple white shirt that flared at the sleeves and tight black pantaloons that she had rolled up to her knees.

"I never expected you to, Bartolomeo. What I wanted was my bosom friend back, not this lackey who forever sees me as the Viceroy's daughter."

"Catherina, please... that is most unfair."

"Try being a woman, and then you'll see what's unfair."

Bartolomeo sighed. "What do you wish of me then?"

"I wish you to be yourself. I know you never wanted to be a soldier, Bartolomeo. I've seen those piles of books in your quarters and in your office. You've always said when we were kids that you'd travel the world and that you'd go to Madrid and become a student."

Bartolomeo chuckled softly. "Well there are a lot of things that you cannot learn in a study room. And I would have gone to see the world already had I not something tying me down behind that officer's desk."

"And what is that?"

"Not what but who… Catherina, I've long—"

Before Bartolomeo could continue, a commotion was heard from the Captain's Quarters and Gibbs soon stuck his head out to beckon at them. Catherina immediately followed and when she disappeared into the cabin, Jack popped out of nowhere to join Bartolomeo.

He stepped into the cuddy and picked up Catherina's dress before holding it as if he were dancing with a maiden. He did a pirouette and glanced at Bartolomeo over his shoulder.

"If you were waiting for the opportune moment—"

"Shut up."

Bartolomeo slammed the door shut before entering the cabin to the sight of the rescued man hungrily dining on hardtack and cheese. He was a little surprised to see the man wearing a large silver cross around his neck.

"This gentleman's name here is Luis Antonio Ramos," said Gibbs, "Master merchant from Lisbon and former owner of the _Caravela Esperanza_ now claimed by the sea."

Ramos paused a moment from his meal to smile at Bartolomeo. "I thank you for your timely rescue, _medico_," he said in a slight Portuguese accent.

"I am a soldier, not a doctor. And you're welcome though you seemed as hale as any man when we fished you out of the water."

The other simply shrugged and started eating once more. "The attack came at night. God was generous and provided me with a strip of wood as a bed and warm winds as a blanket."

It was then that he noticed Catherina. "Forgive me my lady! I mistook you for a man. Truly age must have caught up to me for my eyes to not have noticed such incredible beauty and—"

"What happened to your crew and your ship?" Bartolomeo interrupted while stepping between Catherina and the bed.

"Eaten… Destroyed…" Ramos said with a shudder. The piece of bread he was eating dropped to his lap, seemingly forgotten.

"There are things under the sea that are best left unspoken of," he said softly, "But I will tell you: A serpent it was… its head twice the size of a ship."

"_Jormungand_," Gibbs whispered and Ramos nodded solemnly. Silence filled the cabin as Catherina looked at each man questioningly.

Bartolomeo then spoke up, "Catherina, go get the Captain. If this is Concettina's doing, Jack will want to hear this."

Catherina was about to object but noted the hardness in the Lieutenant's tone. She nodded once and left the cabin. She did not recognize the word Gibbs had uttered but Bartolomeo obviously did. If it's enough to rattle the normally stoic Lieutenant then it must be something very bad and very real.

She moved barefoot, not finding suitable footwear in Bartolomeo's chest. So she cautiously ducked past hammocks and cannons on her way above, making certain not to step on any stray tacks or splinters of wood.

Her exodus would be interrupted once more however as she experienced her second run-in with James. The latter looked at her from head to toe before locking gazes.

"Hardly appropriate attire for a lady."

"You're just as bad as he is," Catherina sighed. James looked at her questioningly and she waved her hand dismissively, "Have you seen Jack? Our man has recovered."

"I believe he's inspecting the ship's storage of rum. Anyway, you mentioned an issue with your wardrobe and I had thought to assist you in that regard." He stretched out one hand which clutched various articles of clothing dyed red and black.

Catherina gave one look at the clothes before staring back at James, expecting to see his normally dour face split open into a grin. When it became apparent that the latter was not joking, Catherina smiled and patted away dust from his shoulders.

"Even the most virtuous of nuns," she began patiently, "would choose my torn nightgown a hundred times over than that scandalous apparel, which very likely belonged at some point to a courtesan wench in merry Tortuga."

All of James' frozen blood travelled to his face.

"But thank you for the thought," said Catherina as she moved past the other whose eyes shone with murderous intent.

"If you see Sparrow, please tell him I also wish to see him," James said between grated teeth.

Catherina continued on to the galley where she met with the dwarf pirate Marty who graciously provided her with a pair of his cleaner boots. And after gratefully putting them on, she went above deck to find Jack manning the wheel.

"Bartolomeo wants to kill some sea snake while James wants to kill you. Either way, you're needed below deck."

Jack looked her up and down with some disappointment. "I spent a fortune on that dress. And it's only been used once by Gibbs."

"Well I'm sure it'll be used again when James comes to strangle your neck with it. Now tell me what this Jormungand thing is."

"Like you said love, a little sea snake," said Jack hurriedly as he jumped over the railings, narrowly avoiding the onrushing James' swinging punch. The two clambered below deck and flew past Bartolomeo who was climbing up.

"Jack, there's something—"

"Sea snake, I know!" Jack shouted at him as he whizzed by.

Bartolomeo scratched his head and joined Catherina by the wheel. "After that scene, I'd like to be promoted out of my 'child' status if you will."

Catherina smiled and replied, "Very well but you're still every part my father's lackey."

"It's my job to follow your father's orders. Would you rather I disobey him then?"

"No. I just want you to stop being who they dictate you to be. As much as you and I respect your father, you don't have to follow in his footsteps."

"I'm not here because the Viceroy ordered me to, Catherina. I'm here out of duty, not to the uniform, but to the close bond I have with my bosom friend."

The other smiled slightly. "Well your bosom friend wants to know what goes on in that head of yours. Why do you treat me so differently now, Bartolomeo? And don't give me that rubbish about knowing your proper place. Even when we're alone you've always been… distant."

The sea breeze blew against them, outlining Catherina's elegant figure. Her raven hair flew with the wind, like jet black waves dancing to a melody they can only hear.

Bartolomeo luxuriated in the sight for a moment before stepping forward to hold onto Catherina's hands.

"Catherina… Never has there been a woman—"

"_MAN OVERBOARD!_"

* * *

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_Note: This jumbled mess of a chapter was a pain in the arse to finish. Had to combine a couple of chapters once again to get rid of a lot of the fat. Anyway, if you think its too confusing or rushed or whatever please say so and I'll tinker with it soon enough.  
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	6. Sea Serpent, I Know!

**Sea Serpent, I Know!**

Contrary to Ramos, who was fit and well at his time of rescue, the second man to be pulled out of the water looked severely dehydrated and his ivory skin badly burned.

"Remove his chains," Catherina said immediately when she heard the familiar clinking sound of the man's bonds. After the locks were forcefully opened, she went on her knees to examine the unconscious man. He was large, taking three men to haul him out of the water and another three to pull him on deck.

"Hmm. A slave from the looks of him," said Bartolomeo, "Looks well built; he must have been worth quite a hefty sum."

"He's not cattle," Catherina said sharply.

"I apologize. I simply meant he's in his prime which must be the reason why he's still alive."

"In any case, he won't be for much longer if we don't do something."

Bartolomeo nodded and made to leave. "I'll fetch some water and my bag of medicines."

Catherina gently examined the man, starting from his chapped lips to his bluish fingers.

"From Ramos' ship perhaps?"

"Unlikely," said James amidst the crowd that had gathered, "He looks to have been in the water far longer than the merchant."

"From the same sea serpent then," Catherina said and no one answered.

She turned and was about to ask the others to help her carry the man below deck when the latter emitted a gasping sound. Before Catherina could react, the man jumped upright and placed one giant hand on both her arms and the other on her neck.

"_Ina na?_ _Ina maciji_?" he shouted demandingly.

James and those with swords had their weapons drawn out. They quickly made a half crescent on the man and his hostage who had their backs against the railings.

"Does anyone speak gibberish?" asked Jack as he emptied a bottle of rum.

After a moment's silence, the African man spoke up. "I speak… English," he said slowly and his grip loosened.

"Well then, matey. How about you release the pretty lady in exchange for a nice cupful of fresh water?"

The man looked at Jack hopefully. Before he could reply however, a crash came from the side as Bartolomeo dropped a bowl of water he had been holding in order to pull out his rapier.

"Or not," muttered Jack as the man tightened his grip once again.

"Release her at once!" Bartolomeo exclaimed while rushing forward.

A flurry of events happened afterwards with Catherina firstly shouting at Bartolomeo to stop. The latter would falter in his steps only to resume once more as James made to jump on the railing in order to strike the African from behind.

The large man in turn shoved Catherina forward where she crashed into Bartolomeo. He then ducked down to avoid the swing of James' sword before nimbly grabbing on to the other's arm and shoulder. With little effort, he lifted James in the air and threw him onto the rest of the crew who made to charge at him.

He then picked up James' cutlass before twisting around to face the shadow advancing at his side. He could only watch in surprise however as a shroud of red enveloped him. What followed next was the sound of a bottle breaking as Jack smashed his into the man's covered head.

"Are you sure you won't reconsider wearing this? It has quite an effect on men as I'm sure you've noticed," asked Jack of Catherina as the former retrieved the scandalous red dress.

"I think it's the rum that did most of the effecting," Catherina muttered while helping Bartolomeo up.

"Tell your watchman that if he sees anymore people on the water to just ignore them," James groaned, "Now will someone please lock this man up at least until we can talk to him properly."

The others nodded and the large African man was dragged away by his shoulders, followed by Bartolomeo and his medicine bag. After dusting themselves off, James faced Catherina.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Just some bruises—"

The former immediately placed his hands on the sides of Catherina's head. He gently pushed away strands of hair as he looked over the reddish marks on the lady's neck.

"James…" Catherina began.

"Stop moving."

She pursed her lips and looked at his eyes. Heat rose to her cheeks and she hoped the latter didn't notice. She felt a pang of regret for a moment as James retrieved his hands.

"Your findings, doctor?" she asked lightly.

"You might live," James smiled, "But you need to work on your habit of putting yourself in dangerous circumstances."

"Have you a remedy for that then?"

"Yes, some strong rope and a mouth gag," James replied and they both laughed.

After their moment of mirth, silence followed as they leaned on the railings and looked out to sea.

"I've been selfish haven't I?" Catherina finally spoke up.

"What do you mean?"

"Well here we are going after Beckett for my sake but we've never really spoken about what will happen with you. How is this going to end, James?"

"Well, we deliver Beckett and you reunite with your father while I go back to being dead. As morbid as my passing away sounds, it's not something for you to fret over, Catherina. It just _feels_ like the proper outcome for me."

Neither spoke again for some time, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Tell me about her, the woman you… betrayed."

"In truth, she was much like you," James smiled, "Impulsive and brash… and thrust into adventures not of her making. And in the end she never fully got what she wanted. Just a bittersweet ending… for her… and her husband who strived for her love much more than I ever could."

"She must have been blessed to have been loved by two passionate men."

James laughed openly, much to the other's surprise. "Very much like you indeed," James finally said and the two grew silent once more. The sun was slowly dissipating in the horizon and the coolness of the night encroached upon them.

"James?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

He was about to ask what she was being thankful for but instead just smiled and replied, "You're welcome, Catherina."

* * *

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It would be next morning when the African man recovered. They had placed him in the hold behind the forward bulkhead with restraints wrapped twice on each hand and foot. His eyes shone with deadly menace as Bartolomeo very cautiously raised the cup of water to the man's lips.

He drank slowly at first and then greedily afterwards. He emptied the cup but saved the last sip in his mouth. And when Bartolomeo withdrew the cup, he spit the water onto the former's face.

"You have great aim," Bartolomeo sighed as he wiped at his forehead, "In fact, that's what we'll call you. We'll name you Robin… Robin of the Hood."

"I have been named worse by your kind, Spanish Man."

"Well then let this be the moment when we can make amends. What is your real name?"

"Your weak tongue cannot pronounce it."

"Very well. Robin it is then. And your home?"

"I am of the Ashanti of the Ghana Empire. My home lies buried in ash and bones and trampled by your marauding kind."

"Dutch? Portuguese?"

"It matters not. You are all cast from the same stone."

"And yet you speak our language surprisingly well."

The large man now named Robin Hood did not reply and instead looked away. Bartolomeo then pulled up a small table and placed a metal plate on it. With caution, he loosened the large man's bounds just enough for the latter to lower his hands from their upraised position and for him to reach the plate of food in front of him.

"What were you doing in the water?" Bartolomeo asked as the other attacked the plate.

"Dying."

"Okay, what were you doing _dying_ in the water?"

"I jumped out of the slave ship before the monster swallowed it. I kicked with my legs to stay above water. This I had done for five days."

"You have incredible stamina then."

"It was God's will that I survive that long and it is His will that I exact my revenge on the snake that caused all this."

"You are… Christian?" Bartolomeo asked in surprise but the other made no reply.

"Very well, this serpent you speak of… how large exactly are we talking about?"

"It matters not."

"That big?" Bartolomeo asked but Robin looked away.

"If we release you, what will you do?"

"I will crush your puny head with my hands before doing the same to the walking corpse with the sword."

This time, Bartolomeo bolted upright. "You mean Norrington? You know… what he is?"

"I know what he is not. He is not dead and neither is he alive. He is… taken."

"Taken. By who?"

"By the world beyond the flash of green. God watches over many worlds, and your friend does not belong in ours."

Bartolomeo was silent a moment before standing up and walking for the door. "We're making sail for the Guianas to drop off another survivor of your serpent's attacks. We dock at the Portuguese port of Amapa and that is where you'll disembark."

Robin did not move for several minutes after Bartolomeo left. Soon enough, the enormity of Bartolomeo's words hit him and his eyes flashed with anger. After being certain that there was no one behind the door, he grabbed his now-empty plate and gently dropped it to the floor. He then grabbed the table and raised it up before slamming one of its metal-capped feet right on the side of the plate.

He did this several times until a small part of the plate's edge flattened and glittered with sharpness.

* * *

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The three people stood on the deck with James frowning at Ramos and the latter staring starry eyed at Catherina.

"I speak truly, my lady. My warehouse in Amapa holds the finest silk from here to the Orient. With your amazing fashion sense and my considerable resources we could very well revolutionize Europe's industry of women's fashion!"

"I think the Lady de Eslava needs to calm the bedlam she has caused here before causing chaos elsewhere," said James.

"Ah, of course. This chase for your great aunt. Family problems are always a tricky affair," Ramos said agreeably. The others on the ship had agreed not to tell the Portuguese merchant their true intentions and had instead told him a concocted story that would coincidentally land them on Amapa where Ramos could disembark and leave their company.

"Indeed, my dear aunt Concettina has always been the wild one of the family," Catherina smiled, "I only hope we can find some truth of her whereabouts in Amapa."

"Ah! Fear not, my lady. I know a great many rumourmongers there and I will endeavour to help you in seeking your wayward aunt."

"Thank you, Ser Ramos. My aunt sails on my father's ship, the Aguadama. It is a Spanish ship but they will likely have hidden their colors since Portugal is an ally of the English after all."

Ramos shook his head, "A nasty business war is. But I can assure your personal safety my lady and that of your friends once we step on Amapa."

"You are most gracious," said Catherina warmly as she casually placed her hand on Ramos' arm.

As the two chatted on about dresses and such, James leaned on the ship's rails with apparent boredom though he was secretly wishing that the overly exuberant merchant would finally take leave of Catherina.

He watched as a pair of dolphins came into view and was about to bring them to Catherina's attention when the pair suddenly swerved away from the ship. From the bottom of the sea, a massive shadow sidled past the Pearl.

"Ahoy, the Crow's nest!" shouted James immediately, to the surprise of the other two. He then ran towards the quarter deck where Gibbs was manning the wheel.

"Where the hell is Sparrow?" James demanded.

"Below deck, the Captain be—"

"Go fetch him!" James shouted as he took over the wheel. Up on the nest, the watchman started shouting and pointing at the water, which was going dark and light depending on where the shadow swam over.

"Hold steady the boom vang and full sails ahead! Watchmen, under the weather and spot for shallows!"

"What is going on?" Catherina asked as she and Ramos joined him.

"We have to get out of deep waters. This serpent of yours has found us."

Ramos then grabbed Catherina's arm and dragged her away. "Come my lady, we must go to the front for the serpent will come for the ship's back end first."

"James!"

"Go!" the latter shouted as the Pearl shuddered as if its hull grazed against shoals. James swung the wheel and directed the ship towards where land would be. The mainland was nowhere in sight since they were well clear of it due to the danger of running into enemy patrols.

Shocking as it was to him, James felt relief when Jack appeared from below deck with Bartolomeo and Gibbs in tow.

"If you have something up your sleeve Sparrow, now's the time to use it," James remarked.

"I don't think arm pit hair will do us much good, Commodore."

"Sparrow!"

"I know, I know. Sea serpent," said Jack calmly as he stood atop the railings of the quarter deck. Not far behind them, two massive fins rose parallel to each other. The serpent's body then came next revealing a lichen covered hide that looked like it was made of coral rock.

"Well," said Jack finally after a long moment of intense thinking, "I got nothing."

James exhaled in frustration and looked back ahead before shouting, "Beat to quarters!"

"Anything useful you learned in those books of yours, Bartolomeo?" asked Jack.

Bartolomeo thought furiously for a moment before saying, "About Jormungand, well plenty. But at no time did those books mention how to kill it. It is an Ouroboros, an infinite circle and self-sufficient. It needs no ears, no eyes, and no limbs. It continually feeds on its tail which makes it not want for anything else. Of course the books must be wrong on that regard for it to be coming for us."

"Well there be another tale attached to it," said Gibbs, "They say the serpent be followin' the biddin' of another. The witch perhaps."

"Whatever the case," interrupted James impatiently, "How do we kill it?"

"Well…" said Jack as he removed his hat, "How do you stop a circle from being a circle?"

"By breaking the pattern, by removing a piece of it," said Bartolomeo before adding, "Easier said than done. Look at that thing's hide, our cannons will hardly make a mark on it."

"Who said anything about cannons? I say we cut it."

The others looked at Jack who waved a tiny blade around. "Borrowed one of the damned monkey's fingers. Has very sharp nails, he does."

"You intend to cut through all _that_," and James gestured at the partially submerged monster whose width was almost double the Pearl's, "With a god forsaken nail?"

"The monkey's cursed. His nail won't break."

James shook his head, "This is ridiculous! Mister Gibbs, have the crew man the cannons. Prepare to flatten the sails and come about." Gibbs quickly nodded and made his way below.

"Didn't you hear what I said?" Bartolomeo exclaimed, "That _thing_ is impenetrable, just look at it!"

"Well we're not going to outrace it and we can bloody well do more damage with the cannons than Sparrow's stupid monkey finger!"

Bartolomeo gritted his teeth as he thought of whatever else they could do. Coming up with nothing, he turned to face Jack who had grown quiet.

"What if—"

He froze then looked wildly about. Lying on the deck was the Captain's hat bereft of its owner.

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_Note:_

_Another pain in the cheeks. I regret this snake plot thing already but I'm continuing it so bear with me since it might stretch out for a few more chapters.  
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	7. Hello Beastie

**Hello Beastie**

"The Black Pearl. Nigh uncatchable. The only ship as what that could outrun the Flying Dutchman… And here it is about to be swallowed by a giant slug with no eyes!"

"You are not helping!" shouted Bartolomeo as he struggled with the bird cage's door. Once he finally had it open, he raised the cage up in the air and the black bird within flitted away.

He stared at the bird for a moment until it settled on a straight path. "As the crow flies! Ten, south by southwest!"

James nodded immediately and adjusted the ship's course. "I still don't think we can make it. Gibbs better be manning those guns."

"He knows what to do, just keep heading for land... Have you seen Jack yet?"

"Damn the man! If he wants to swim with the fishes let him do so, his measly corpse might just buy us some time yet," James quipped.

"You know, it was to my understanding that you've made your peace with Jack," said Bartolomeo as he stared at the wriggling monster that was slowly advancing towards them.

"I have, as proven by the fact that I've refrained thus far from shooting him in the head."

"Well I think you'll be saved the agony of controlling yourself," muttered Bartolomeo as the serpent's head finally emerged from the depths. Massive rows of cracked ivory teeth protruded from a mouth made seemingly of corals and sedimented stone. Like a vortex, the mouth opened wide and stretched all the way past the Pearl's topmast.

"By God," James whispered as various sea life dropped from the roof of the monster's mouth to the quarter deck of the Pearl. He then gripped the wheel tightly as he looked at the sailors who had stopped running about in order to stare at the behemoth about to envelop them.

"Hands to your stations! Hard a' larboard!" James shouted and spun the wheel counter clockwise as the main deck bustled with activity once more, "Get the nine-pounder up to the side and tell Gibbs to make ready!"

Bartolomeo rushed to the main deck where Murtogg and Mullroy were pulling up the howitzer to position.

"What do we aim at?" Murtogg asked the Lieutenant.

"Anything that's not rock! Look for a weak point."

After a moment of all three men looking up, Mullroy pointed and exclaimed, "There!"

"At the far back of the serpent's mouth was a gland that glistened with skin-like wetness.

"That's a far shot, but aim for it nonetheless," Bartolomeo said as they realigned the howitzer. They waited as the Pearl swung ever so slowly to the left. But once the ship made enough of an angle, the Lieutenant shouted at the top of his lungs, "Fire as she blows!"

In sequential order, the cannons below deck fired off shot after shot against the side of the serpent's mouth. The howitzer's shot meanwhile arched deep within only to miss the unprotected gland by several feet.

If the serpent felt the explosions that rocked the side of its head, it made no indication of having done so. Instead, it brought its massive mouth down to bear on the retreating Pearl. But by the time it clamped shut, James already had the ship turned almost completely around and free of the gnashing teeth.

"Broadsided at point blank yards to no avail," muttered Bartolomeo as they started reloading, "Wait for it to open up."

The serpent had other plans however as it made to turn left to follow in the Pearl's wake.

"How the bloody hell does it know where we're going when it has no eyes?" James shouted from the wheel, "I'm taking another turn!"

Bartolomeo's mind raced and he let loose the howitzer's tackles. "Bring it about to the other side and then remove the rear wheels. That'll give us more elevation," he said to Murtogg and Mullroy.

He then rushed to a hatch and shouted below for Gibbs.

"Run out the starboard battery! We're making another turn to the right this time!"

"Aye, aye, Lieutenant," came the muffled cry from below.

Bartolomeo then got back up and rejoined James by the wheel. "We can't keep dodging it like this."

"Well then you better hope the nine- pounder can do some damage."

They stayed silent as behind them the serpent's head once more realigned itself with the ship. To their left, its body continued to stretch out, blocking any hope of passing that way.

"All right. I'm coming up on the wind," said James before looking to the top, "Right the headsails and set the topsails! We're coming about!"

Bartolomeo jumped back down to the main deck and joined the two on the howitzer. The two had finished setting up the cannon just as the Pearl's right side came into view of the serpent. The monster then opened its mouth once more and seawater rushed into the gaping hole.

The sudden pull of water caused the Pearl to list to the right and Bartolomeo cursed. He looked down the sights and waved his hand, "Realign, raise by two notches!"

The other two nodded and adjusted the cannon and, once the ship had formed a perfect angle with the advancing serpent, Bartolomeo shouted, "Fire full broadside!"

His shout was echoed throughout and the starboard cannons started pounding the inside of the serpent's throat. Bartolomeo then pulled on the nine-pounder's string which served as its firing mechanism and watched as the cannonball vanished into the blackness of the serpent's mouth.

After a long agonizing moment, an explosion ignited and engulfed the serpent's gland. There was a smattering of cheers above deck as the Serpent let loose a hurricane-inducing howl. It inadvertently raised its head high up to the air, revealing its massive lower jaw.

"Norrington! Watch out, it's going to land on us!"

James meanwhile looked grimly ahead as he handled the wheel. "Not if I can help it… Stand fast!"

The serpent shook its head in obvious pain and water showered down on the ship as if it were raining. The head then hurtled downward as the serpent dove for water.

Sailors screamed in panic as everyone rushed to the port side of the ship, well clear of the serpent's path of descent. Its upper jaw crashed hard on the Pearl's starboard side, breaking railings and wood as it fell back deep into the depths. The nine-pounder unbuckled and fell through the opened section where the gunwales were torn apart before disappearing into the ocean's bottom.

"We're going to tip over!" exclaimed Bartolomeo as the Pearl threatened to turn over on its left due to the shockwaves caused by the serpent's sudden dive on its right.

"All hands to the right! Make ballast!" shouted James and the others rushed to the right to bring weight to that side of the ship.

There was a mixture of fear and relief as the waters erupted on the ship's port side and the Pearl steadied to calm. Bursting out of the water and reaching past the Pearl's topmasts, the serpent rose to tower majestically over them.

"What is it with this ship and giant monsters of the sea?" James muttered.

"I think we can shift the blame to its Captain currently absent from company," replied Bartolomeo.

"The bloody pirate probably turned coward and jumped ship."

"I find it uncharacteristic of Jack to leave the Pearl behind."

"Well I find it uncharacteristic of him to jump headfirst—"

"Ahoy to starboard!" someone shouted and everyone looked to the right where the rest of the serpent was slipping into the waters below the Pearl. As it disappeared within, its body gradually thinned out to dual fins. Just beyond the fins was the tail's pointed tip and on it clung the Captain of the Black Pearl.

Despite the absurdity of the situation, Bartolomeo burst out laughing. "Of course! The thinnest part of the snake would be at the end of its tail! He can cut it!"

"Well don't celebrate just yet," James said solemnly as he looked up at the giant head that overshadowed them, "We don't know if this 'breaking the circle' is going to work."

As if to complement the gravity of his words, the serpent opened its mouth directly over the ship.

Bartolomeo waved his hands madly at Jack. "Whatever you're doing, do it now!"

Jack made no indication of having heard him however as the serpent started its descent. A resounding bellow erupted from within and it began hurtling down towards them.

But just as its front-most teeth were about to shred through the topmost yards, it suddenly snapped its head back up in the air with an even more furious roar. Its body bumped against the Pearl's port side repeatedly as its whole body started convulsing.

Like a dolphin jumping out and into the water, only a thousand times magnified, the serpent tore through the air to dive into the waters at the Pearl's starboard side. It took several seconds for the rest of its body to follow with its tail lashing inadvertently at the topsails.

The Pearl rocked wildly from left to right before finally settling down into its usual rhythm. A full minute then passed without any sound occurring save for the creaking of the shrouds and tackles.

When it became apparent that the serpent had left their vicinity, the Pearl's crew erupted in laughter and cries of relief.

To add to their joy, the watchmen by the bowsprit began clamoring and gesturing to the horizon where the uneven protrusion of mountains could be seen.

"Three points off the starboard bow! Shallow waters!"

James smiled in relief and adjusted course accordingly. Hopefully, the serpent hasn't learned yet to slither on land.

"By the mark, how deep are we in?"

"Six fathoms and elevatin'!"

"Gibbs! Casualty and damage report if you please!"

"We be all fine, Commodore sir. But Jack be nowhere in sight and there be a huge crack on the Pearl from the gunwales to the keel."

James nodded once and said, "Someone find me a damn map, we need to get to Amapa and soon."

Gibbs bolted off to be replaced by Catherina and Ramos. The lady's face was flush with excitement while the merchant's was white as a ghost.

"Master Ramos, have you a sickness of the stomach?" James asked.

The other was busy looking behind the ship with glazed eyes but snapped them back to address James.

"Oh… forgive me, the excitement of the moment… Ah, the serpent…?"

"Dead if we're lucky. At the least it'll be out of action for a fair while."

"I see," was all the pale merchant said as he fell quiet once more. On his hand he held his silver cross which he rubbed with uncertainty. Beside him, Bartolomeo slapped his back and smiled encouragingly. He then looked at Catherina who was still awash with energy.

"Had fun with the cannons did we?" Bartolomeo asked with amusement.

"I'm beginning to see why you enjoy being in the navy so much," Catherina laughed.

"Well I hate to disappoint but it's not every day that navy men get to fight giant mythological sea monsters. It's mostly just swabbing the deck and saluting the captain."

"Speaking of captains, where is Jack?"

Bartolomeo and James fell silent and Catherina widened her eyes as she looked frantically around. "Shouldn't we… turn around and look?"

"No, we can't risk the possibility of the serpent coming back to finish the job. We have to get to shallow shores," said James, "I'm sure the Captain can manage finding his way back on the ship as he always—"

"There!" Catherina shouted and laughed. She pointed high up the mainmast where a figure was standing atop the main sail's gaff.

With the help of a rope, Jack swung all the way down to the main deck amidst the cheering and clapping of the crew. After landing feet first, he threw the monster's severed tail at Gibbs who managed to catch it with hands full of maps.

He then strode purposefully towards the quarter deck where he recovered his hat before facing the others.

"Did everyone see that?" he said as he put the hat on, "Because I will _not_ be doing it again."

* * *

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_Note:_

_My shortest chapter yet, but seemed like a good moment to end at that part... See you next weekend landlubbers_


	8. Plan B

**Plan B**

The pirate ship hugged the coastline as it limped on towards Amapa. After some debate, and after Ramos' adamant insistence, they had decided not to go ashore to find a suitable tree for a new mast.

Not only did the ship receive significant damage from the serpent's attack, a flash storm caught them by surprise and, after it finally subsided, there was now another crack right beside the previous one on the foremast. It would have taken them the better part of a month to finish the repair job which Amapa's professional shipwrights could do in a few days at most.

The Portuguese merchant had then taken to the habit of standing on the forecastle every clear day in an attempt to gauge how far they were to Amapa. His nerves had been seemingly frayed after their encounter with the sea serpent and he had treated everyone distantly since then, though he perked up every time Catherina came into the picture.

Although his obvious infatuation with the Viceroy's daughter was an object of irritation for James, Bartolomeo on the other hand was completely oblivious to it. This served an explanation as to why he had agreed to let Ramos join the normally private dinner sessions the Lieutenant usually had with Catherina.

As such, Bartolomeo sat ignored and bemused as his two dinner companions prattled on about style and fashion. Whenever he would venture out a casual joke or two about women's dresses, the two would stare at him blankly before resuming their one-on-one conversation.

"Exactly! Every culture has its extremities and the same goes with the Chinese and their practice of foot binding. Why men find it so appealing is beyond me."

"Maybe so their women can sway their hips more when they try to walk on pointed feet," muttered Bartolomeo under his breath. Catherina gave him a look and he sulked even more.

He toyed with his third helping of Gibbs' special gelatine dessert as Catherina continued speaking. "I'm only thankful that European women have not been subjected to such torture."

"Ha! Think again my lady, for what then do you call those corsets you wear?" said Ramos.

Catherina grimaced, "An invention of the devil. I don't understand why women have to market themselves in such a depraving manner."

"Because…" Bartolomeo began and this time the two gave him their full attention. "Uh… because men are pigs and they are very… insecure?"

"Insecure meaning?"

"Meaning they wouldn't take the first step unless there was a clear and open invitation from the woman?"

"Who waits for an invitation? You simply curry favor from the girl's father, isn't that how it goes?"

Bartolomeo scratched his ear uncertainly. "Well, there are a few who would first make certain that the woman is interested in them before laying their intentions at her feet, not just her father's."

"Name me one gentleman who does that and I'll marry him straight off."

Bartolomeo looked at her in surprise. He opened his mouth to reply but no words came out.

"I'd rather you not give yourself away so easily, my lady," Ramos said as he looked suspiciously at the Lieutenant, "It wouldn't do to go saying yes to every impulsive man that comes up to you."

"There's nothing wrong with a man taking the initiative. I think if you like someone then tell her so directly instead of going the roundabout way of scheming with her family."

"And if she says no?" Bartolomeo asked cautiously.

Catherina shrugged. "Would you rather marry her and make her miserable for the rest of her life or set her free in exchange for a second chance?"

"And what if it takes more than two chances?"

"What do you have to lose? Simply do better each and every time. Either you grow tired of her or she'll grow fond of you."

"So your suggestion to every lovesick pup out there is to just go for it?" Ramos said and he chuckled, "Consider the trauma you'd be causing the poor boy when he gets rejected."

"Well the first rejection significantly lessens the blow of the following ones. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger, no?"

Bartolomeo smiled slightly. "That sounds so like you. Always so certain of yourself."

"I just don't give myself any reason not to be," Catherina smiled in return.

The rest of the dinner continued on in relative silence with Bartolomeo lost in deep thought. And only after the other two had long departed, did he finally rouse himself from the table.

"You be havin' a twinkle in your eye," remarked Gibbs who was setting away the plates, "The lady open the doors to her heart yet?"

"No," Bartolomeo smiled, "But she has given me the keys."

Gibbs looked questioningly at him. "You're not gonna be doin' something crazy now are you?"

"Brash perhaps. I intend to take the initiative."

"And how do you intend to do that?"

"Well… I don't know. You're a man of experience, how would you suggest I go about declaring my intent to the woman I love?"

Gibbs crossed his arms and pondered for a moment. "Leave no room for doubt. Just push her down."

"Push her down," Bartolomeo repeated flatly.

"Yes, women always like it rough. Just grab her shoulders and plant a big wet one on her lips."

"Thank you, Master Gibbs. But I think I'll call that Plan B." He nodded at the quartermaster before making his leave of the kitchen. He continued past the rows of parked cannons until he spied Murtogg and Mullroy partaking in a game of dice.

He nodded at the two and was about to continue on when he suddenly stopped to face the gambling men.

"Care for a game, sir?" asked Murtogg.

"No, thank you. I've lost the better part of my purse to Jack already."

Mullroy chuckled. "No one plays knuckles with the Captain, sir."

"Is he that good?"

"Yes. At cheating that is. His dice are loaded, sir. But don't let him know I told you that."

"I won't, and thank you," replied Bartolomeo, "Tell me… what do you two know about women?"

The two marines looked at each other before grinning.

"We have plenty of experience. Of the theoretical sort that is."

"I see… and how would you go about wooing the woman of your dreams?"

Murtogg thought for a moment before saying, "Play hard to get. Make her realize what she's been missing this whole time with you gone from her side."

"And if she never realizes?"

Murtogg looked at him uncertainly. "Make up a Plan B?"

Mullroy in turn shook his head and said, "Eliminate the competition."

"Eliminate…?"

"Mhm. As they say, all is fair in love and war. If you're not at the top of the list then simply shorten the list until you are."

"That's… gruesome. I'll leave that as Plan C… Well! Thank you for the advice gentlemen, and good night."

"Good night, sir."

Bartolomeo continued walking until he reached the captain's quarters. He was about to knock on the door when he thought otherwise. With a knowing smile, he turned around and headed to the lower level. After lighting a lantern, he stepped into the rum storage room.

"Good evening, Jack."

"The light," Jack groaned from his fetal position.

Bartolomeo sat on a casket and placed the lantern behind it. "How goes your inspection of our supplies?"

"I lost count."

"I daresay I think you've already drunk half the rum you conned from the Viceroy."

"No need for alarm. I'm sure our friend Ramos shall be reimbursing us for our timely rescue of his wealthy self."

"Perhaps, though I eagerly await his departure from our company."

"Ah, stealing your bonnie lass from you is he?"

"I prefer the term 'monopolizing'."

"Call it what you want, she's still looking in the other direction."

"I think she can do a lot better than Ramos."

"Oh, I wasn't referring to him. I was referring more to the undead portion of the crew."

Bartolomeo frowned. "Catherina may act impulsive but she plans her future well. And what future is there in falling for a dead man?"

"You're right of course. I'm sure she's in perfect control of her emotions."

Bartolomeo sighed. "I'm going to lose her aren't I?"

"Well to lose something, you have to have it first. And you… do not have it."

"And what do you suggest I do then? Bind her up and force her into marriage upon pain of death?"

"Nothing of the sort, lad. Just go the old fashioned route. Start with a bouquet of flowers."

"And I suppose you have a garden somewhere in this ship?"

"No, but I do have orchids in my quarters," Jack yawned and turned his back towards Bartolomeo, "Blown to sea from the mainland after the previous night's storm, I believe. I would be very happy to sell them to you at a very reasonable price."

"Very well. You can deduct it from the gold you cheated out of me from last night's dice game."

Jack's shoulders stiffened and he did not reply. After several seconds, he started snoring.

Bartolomeo smiled as he stood up and retrieved his lantern. "Good night, Jack."

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The sun was up bright and early in the morning when all the commotion started. Swords and hooks were drawn as sailors warily checked every compartment of the ship. Bartolomeo stayed close to Catherina as they stood on the ship's deck, well clear of any hidden areas. They would eventually be joined by Jack who half stumbled towards them.

"Is there a party I'm not aware of?" Jack asked groggily.

"Robin Hood escaped. Cut through his bonds and stole food from the kitchen before vanishing."

"And which fool had watch last night?" Jack shouted at the passing sailors.

Murtogg came to a stop beside him. "Well… you did, sir."

"Oh." Jack scratched his forehead before making a shooing gesture with his hands. "Well carry on then. Don't dilly dally."

After the sailor moved on once more, Jack looked around thoughtfully. "Hmm, I think I shall look for him in the rum room."

He turned to leave but not before placing a cloth pouch on Bartolomeo's hand. He winked at the Lieutenant before stalking off for the stairs.

"What is that?" asked Catherina.

Bartolomeo carefully opened the pouch to see glistening white petals. "Just some gold he owes me from a dice game."

"I didn't know you gambled."

"Not when your father was around. But I enjoyed the odd game down at Maracaibo's docks every now and then."

Catherina sighed softly as she leaned on the bulwarks. "Do you think we'll ever see home again?"

"Of course. You're not suddenly giving up on me are you? It's quite uncharacteristic of you."

Catherina smiled beside him. "Still, one can only put so much on optimism."

"Catherina, you have with you the most famous pirate in the seven seas, a Commodore of the Royal Navy, and me, your stalwart bosom friend. What could possibly go wrong?"

"I could think of several scenarios. Especially since the pirate you speak of does not have a sane mind while the Commodore lacks a beating heart. And that leaves you, dear friend. A mystery yet to be solved."

"Oh? I thought I've always been an open book to you."

"Not always. And not recently. Tell me what's on your mind right now, Bartolomeo."

"Well… I'm thinking of how feminine you always seem to look when wearing my clothes. Either you've been blessed by Aphrodite or I should seriously re-evaluate my taste in fashion."

Catherina laughed. "Well as I recall, the only 'goddess' I've spoken to gave no blessing unto me."

"Ah," Bartolomeo grimaced, "That leaves the latter reason then. I suppose I should get rid of my collection of corsets. Though I've always enjoyed the firm support."

"Don't worry; I can always start introducing you to people as my dear sister."

"And always be referred to as the uglier one? I think not."

"Well considering we've been together our whole lives, don't you think we're practically siblings? I would have to be the wiser and more mature one of course, never mind your age."

Bartolomeo's smile disappeared and he put on a solemn face. "Catherina… is that how you've always seen me as? As a brother?"

"What do you mean?"

Bartolomeo pulled out the flower from the pouch. He was about to give the orchid to Catherina when he hesitated for a moment. Then, with firm decision, he flung the flower into the ocean.

"Only that the reason why I've been so distant to you is due to my desire to be closer."

"That doesn't make sense." Catherina said uncertainly as she looked down at the floating flower.

"I know," Bartolomeo said softly. He leaned forward to firmly grab Catherina's shoulders.

"Bar—"

The Lieutenant gently blew away strands of Catherina's hair before kissing her on the very side of her lips.

"Consider that a clue to your mystery," he smiled before leaving Catherina to stand alone and in shock on the ship's deck.

After a long minute of standing in a daze, Catherina placed her fingers on her lips. Eventually, she clamped her whole hand over her mouth.

With face bright red, she ignored the sailors she bumped into as she whirled around, clambered down the stairs and burst into the captain's quarters.

"Yes? What's the matter?"

"Oh… Ah… I meant to ask advice from Jack."

"Well, I may not be as witty as the pirate but I'm sure I can offer a few words of wisdom when needed," said James as he turned his attention away from the maps he was studying. He smiled encouragingly and said, "What subject did you need advising on?"

"Ah… How far are we to Amapa?" Catherina asked lamely.

James raised a brow but he answered nonetheless. "We should be there in an hour or so provided the wind doesn't change course."

"I see." The two fell silent.

After a while, James spoke up. "Catherina… if there's anything—"

"It's nothing. I just wanted to talk, more like."

"About what? I think this is the first time I've seen you so uncertain of yourself."

"Well this is the first time I've had good reason to be," Catherina replied as she subconsciously touched her lips with the tip of her tongue.


	9. Bartolomeo or James?

**Bartolomeo or James?**

The port town of Amapa was under threat of being overrun by the jungle. Partially camouflaged by tropical trees and giant ferns, the town could easily have been missed if not for its many docks, some of which stretched on towards the ocean.

"Used to be a pirate's hideout since you can hide many a ship in them coves over yonder," Gibbs said as he pointed at the cliffs and hills marking the outskirts of the town.

"You think Concettina passed through here?" asked Bartolomeo.

"We be findin' out soon enough. So long as that merchant friend of yours pulls through."

They looked at Ramos who had immediately alighted from the ship the moment it came to port. The merchant was now busy talking with a nondescript person. Eventually, the two shook hands and nodded in agreement. Ramos then waved them over and the party joined him on the dock.

"Well friends, the dockmaster has agreed to work night and day on your ship. He will have it as good as new come the morrow," said Ramos, "Until then, what say we enter the town and relax ourselves? I have a warehouse full of exotic treasures waiting to be appreciated."

Jack shook his head. "I seek a different kind of treasure. The kind that burns when you piss. Gibbs! You have command of the ship."

"I think I'll be joining you," said James, "I want to check for gossip on the Aguadama's whereabouts."

"And I'll be staying with the Pearl," Bartolomeo added, "I need to pen a missive to Maracaibo and then find a ship that can deliver it for me."

"And you, my lady?" Ramos asked the silent Catherina who was standing as far away from Bartolomeo as possible. She flinched when she was addressed. Her eyes darted to the Lieutenant before quickly going back to the merchant.

Before Bartolomeo could say anything, she quickly said to Ramos, "I'll go with you."

"Excellent! Please, this way. I have appropriated a carriage that shall take us to my compound. Are you sure you three won't be joining us?" Ramos directed the question to the three men. When they declined, Ramos snapped his fingers and a street urchin appeared out of nowhere.

The merchant rapidly spoke a few words and the child nodded. "The child will take you to a trusted establishment," Ramos said to Jack and James. The latter nodded and everyone set off on different directions.

When the two were finally alone, James asked the captain, "Have you noticed anything strange about the Lady de Eslava lately?"

Jack nodded in agreement. "Yes she does wear those tight fitting pants so—"

"I meant her attitude. You saw her back there. It is not like her to be so quiet. And previously at the ship, she seemed…"

"Stressed? Distracted? Love-struck?"

James frowned. Up ahead, their young guide darted through the eerily quiet streets forcing them to quicken their stride in order to catch up.

"She is not some young girl—"

"Not in love then. But her long closed eyes have definitely been opened," Jack replied before smiling at James, "You're lagging second in the game, Commodore."

"What game?"

Jack did not reply as they followed the child into a run-down watering hole with a faded sign. There were a few patrons spread out amongst the tables and they did not so much as raise a brow when the newcomers entered.

The child quickly vanished through the kitchen door leaving the two to find their own seats. The bartender then ambled over and looked them up and down.

"Two bottles of your hardest poison," said Jack, "And keep them coming."

The bartender made no response as he stepped back and disappeared into the kitchen.

"Friendly little town," muttered James before looking back at Jack, "Now tell me what is going on with Catherina?"

"Oh, turmoil. The churning of the heart. The bursting of—"

"Speak plainly, pirate." All around the room, the other customers began filing out of the inn. James did not notice their sudden departure as he frowned at the Captain.

"Actually, it is you who should be plain. Here you are in the middle of things that should not concern you, worrying about people that only a month ago you did not even know existed. In fact, the needs of the Lady De Eslava go contradictory with yours. For if we do manage to return Beckett to Turner's grasp, then there'd be no reason for you to stick around in the world of the living. So why then do you help Catherina?"

James stiffened as Jack pulled out his pistol. The latter then pointed the gun directly at James' face.

"By all rights you should be dead, Commodore. And you claim to be satisfied with that. Then why concern yourself over a woman? Why haven't you just strangled yourself and let it all be over with?"

"If this is some joke—"

"Answer the question, Norrington." Jack said seriously before cocking his pistol.

James gritted his teeth. After a moment, he exhaled and said, "Being with Catherina… even with you and de Lezo... I enjoy the company. Quite literally, I've never felt so alive when I'm with all of you. I guess I… I don't want to die."

Jack smiled at him, "There! Was that so hard to realize? And the game you play is the game of life, Commodore. And you've just been given a second chance to roll the dice."

With that said, the Captain swung his pistol towards the kitchen door before firing a shot. He then flipped the table over and dragged James behind it just as a salvo of gunfire responded from behind the bar.

* * *

><p>.<p>

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"Did you hear that?" Bartolomeo frowned as he looked up from the captain's desk, "Sounded like gunfire."

"Soldiers drilling maybe?" said Gibbs.

"The Portuguese have no garrison here. This town is virtually owned by merchants." Bartolomeo stood up and peeked through a porthole, "Maybe I should have gone with Catherina. As you may have noticed, she has a knack for finding trouble."

"You be concernin' yourself too much with the lass. She's a grown woman now. She can take care of herself without needing your help, you know."

"Of that I have no doubt, but still I wish she'd come to rely on me more."

"She be already relyin' on you for this adventure, lad. She trusts you with her life and that speaks volumes. To her, you be already an important part of life. She won't be livin' a proper one without you in it."

"So stop frettin' too much." Gibbs slapped him on the back. "Besides, I don't think she be wantin' to be anywhere near you right now."

Bartolomeo sighed. "That much is true. You think I did the right thing by kissing her? Though her reaction was… a delight."

"Well personally, I think you should have been rougher," Gibbs smiled, "But you did well enough for someone so green. She just be needin' some time to process, as it were."

"So what do I do now? Just keep staying away from her?"

"She'll be comin' to you soon enough. You've moved your piece now it is her turn to be counterin' with hers. And, of what little I know about the pretty lady, you had best be prepared. She be replyin' with fire and brimstone."

Bartolomeo shook his head. "How do you know so much about women? I did not take you to be the amorous sort."

The other shrugged in reply. "I was married one time."

"Truly?" Bartolomeo looked at him in surprise, "And what happened?"

"Found a mistress."

"I see. Yet you clearly didn't stay with the second woman either."

"Oh, but I did. Still with her in fact. My mistress is the open sea, lad. She just kept callin' out to me. That be why you gotta think hard on your wants. If you do end up marryin' your pretty lass then you can be sayin' goodbye to your dream of travellin' the world."

"It's very possible to do both."

"Oh? Then how come back in Maracaibo you be doin' neither then?"

"Biding my time is all. Just because I'm ready, doesn't mean she is. So I wait, I guess."

Gibbs snorted. "Haven't you learned anythin' from your jolly kiss? You play the wrong game, lad."

"And what game is that?"

"The waiting game! The game of death! Nothing happens unless you make something happen. And you should know, stagnation is fatal."

Bartolomeo was about to ask Gibbs what he meant when cries of alarm came from above deck. He peeked once more through the porthole before quickly turning towards Gibbs.

"You may actually be right about that. Now move or die!" he exclaimed just as the rifles outside started firing onto the ship's hull.

* * *

><p>.<p>

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"Did you hear that?"

"Probably just fireworks," responded Ramos with a smile as he handed a glass of wine over to Catherina, "The town loves its parties."

"I didn't realize it was a holiday."

"Well, Portuguese people are a festive bunch. You'll come to like the townspeople very much."

"Well if they're as friendly as you are then I definitely would. And it is a very a beautiful town."

Ramos bowed. "If I may be so bold as to ask, my lady… these family problems that seem to torment you so… I think it unfair for a woman so young to be thrust in such distasteful politics. Why not just run away and do what you will?"

"What do you mean?"

"Just leave them all behind! Live your own life. Stay here with me, with the town. Like you said, it's a beautiful place. And my warehouse holds wonders that can fulfill your every desire!"

Catherina laughed. "Thank you sir genie, but I must continue on with my quest. I guess you could say my very future rests on its outcome."

Ramos sighed before refilling their glasses. "It's the Spaniard isn't it?"

"Pardon?"

"The soldier Bartolomeo. He's a crafty one that one. At first, I thought it was that strange man, James that held your interest. But I've recently come to the conclusion that your fellow countryman is the greater threat."

"Threat…?" Catherina's vision blurred and she shook her head. The room started spinning.

"Don't worry, I'll get rid of them soon enough. And then you and I can be together! I was not jesting when I said that my warehouse holds wonders. Whatever you want, I'm sure to have it!"

Catherina's glass fell to the floor with a crash as she started seeing double.

"My warehouse holds treasures from ships I've sunk as far as the orient. Whatever piece of jewelry you want, whatever dress… I have it all! You just have to forget about your Spaniard. And you don't have to worry about Concettina, she'll gladly hand you over to me. I just have to get rid of your pesky companions first…"

His voice started to fade out just as Catherina's world turned black.

* * *

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The intruder watched from a rooftop as the band of men he had been following entered the compound. The door opened and the men were greeted by the Portuguese merchant. Their conversation quickly turned into an argument as Ramos began jumping up and down in frustration.

"The de Eslava woman is mine! She stays with me! I've already told you where Sparrow is!"

"And I've told you, we're just following orders. We're to deliver _all_ of the Black Pearl's crew and that includes the woman," said the leader of the band, "If you have a problem with that, take it up with the witch."

Ramos exhaled, "Oh very well! Where is she?"

"She's with the Aguadama at the cove behind the cliffs."

"Fine! I'll go talk to her," Ramos brushed past the men, "Stay here then and don't let her get away. And don't you dare touch her or Concettina will be the least of your worries!"

The merchant exited the compound and began rapidly heading in the general direction of the hills. The intruder hesitated for a moment as he considered whether or not to follow Ramos.

Things were quickly decided for him when one of the men hollered and whistled. The man was standing by the doorway while beckoning at his companions.

"She's a sweet one she is."

The others chuckled. "I'm sure the little merchant won't be mindin' if we felt her up a little bit," said one, "Besides, I doubt the witch'll be listenin' to him."

They entered the compound to the sight of Catherina lying unconscious on the floor. The leader of the group whistled appreciatively before stepping forward to kneel beside her. They remained unaware as the intruder slipped in behind them.

The group's leader then placed a hand on Catherina's chin before slowly working his way down to her breasts. "How long has it been, boys?" he shouted in laughter.

When no answer was forthcoming, he looked over his shoulder. He froze in fear as he saw his companions lying unmoving on the ground.

"Never touch a woman without her consent," intoned the massively large intruder. On each hand, he held a man by their necks. And with ease, he slammed both men's heads together before flinging their bodies away to his left and right. The leader let out a hoarse cry as the intruder then slowly reached out with one gigantic hand.

* * *

><p>.<p>

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It would be several minutes later when Catherina finally came to. The sight of the dead men scattered about the room shocked her so but not as much as the sight of the large man offering her a glass of wine.

"Drink this. It's not drugged."

"Robin! What are you doing here?"

"Drink."

Catherina looked at him uncertainly but took the glass nonetheless. The wine burned her throat but she felt the fire energizing her whole body.

"I thought you escaped," she finally said.

"I did. Then I followed the snake."

"The serpent? But—"

"I refer to the two-legged one. The passenger that attracted the monster to the slave ship I was on and killed hundreds of my people."

"You mean Ramos? But how?"

"He holds sway on the serpent for it forever seeks his blood. But every time the beast sinks whatever ship he is on, he always eludes it. His warehouse holds trophies of his many conquests."

"So he's in league with Concettina? But—"

"You will know more in due time. For now, your companions lie in trouble."

"Companions...? Bartolomeo… James! So the gunfire I've been hearing…?"

"Yes, they are besieged. I have endeavoured to help you but we do not have the time to aid both men. You need choose which of the two we must rescue."


	10. Regrets

**Regrets**

"Eight… Ten… There be thirteen of them!"

Bartolomeo peeked through a bullet hole before shoving his pistol into it.

"Twelve," he said after he finished firing, "We need to get to the cannons. Just one sweep and we could waste away those crates they're hiding behind."

"Aye but the Pearl be docked in a bad angle. The cannons aren't pointin' at the docks," Gibbs replied.

"We don't need to turn the ship, just the cannons."

He went down on all fours and started crawling towards the now-shattered door. Ignoring the bullets whizzing over his head, he peeked through the doorway to see Murtogg and Mullroy crouched under large holes on the ship's hull.

"Those grenades of theirs are destroying us, Lieutenant! But we've managed to bat away most of the one's they've thrown at us. And we managed to knock out the plank so they'll not be boarding us anytime soon!"

"Good job! Look, get the others to replace you then pull one of those carronades this way. I want it pointed right towards me."

"Sir?"

"Just do it!" Bartolomeo exclaimed and the two quickly followed to obey.

"I don't like where this is goin'." Gibbs stared warily at the Lieutenant who did not reply. They traded a few more pot-shots with the attackers outside before ducking back down.

"They be Beckett's men. Jack and the others on shore may be in worse trouble."

"I know," said Bartolomeo grimly. His chest tightened as he thought of Catherina. "I should have gone with her. I should have—"

"Where do you want it, Lieutenant?" Murtogg piped up as he and Mullroy pushed the wide and stubby cannon in front of them. The carronade, designed mainly for extreme close range devastation, was squeezed past the doorway as far as it could manage.

"It's fine right there. Now point it towards the harbor and hand me a sack of grapeshot."

Gibbs' eyes widened. "You intendin' to fire inside the ship?"

"The hull's already riddled with holes as it is. A few more won't matter." He shoved the sack onto Gibbs' hands.

"But Jack—"

"I'm sure the Captain will understand my devastating the Black Pearl. Now fire the damn cannon and cover me with rifle fire from above deck."

"What do you intend to do?"

"I'm going to find Catherina," replied Bartolomeo solemnly before turning around and facing a shattered section of the hull. After a few kicks, he managed to make a hole large enough for him to slip through and drop stealthily into the water.

With rapier between his teeth, he swam under the ship's keel and headed for the docks. He remained underwater all the way until a section of the Pearl's stern exploded outwards in a rain of splinters and furious shrapnel. The small metal balls tore through wood and flesh as the dock was decimated by the small metallic balls.

Only when he saw rifle barrels sticking out of the Pearl's side did Bartolomeo resurface. His navy training quickly returning back to him, he deftly clambered up a berm before jumping onto the dock.

He wasted no time as he grabbed hold of his rapier and threw it at an unsuspecting man's back. He then rushed forward, pulled out the blade and twisted to the right in time to slash at another man who had just noticed his presence.

Shouts of alarm came from the Pearl and he immediately dove to the ground just as more gunfire erupted from the town's direction. Gibbs and the others responded in kind, leaving Bartolomeo trapped between the two repeating volleys of gunfire.

"There be more of them!"

"So I noticed!" Bartolomeo shouted back, "Got anymore shot on that cannon?"

"Aye but unless you want to be shredded to bits along with them, I suggest you think of somethin' else!"

Bartolomeo cursed and crawled behind a crate. Diving back to the water was an option but he'd risk exposing himself to those firing at them from the town's nearby buildings.

He grabbed a dead man's rifle and grenade pouch lying beside him before getting up to a kneeling position. If he can't go back then he'll go forward. Besides, that's the direction where Catherina is.

He pulled out one of the cannon-ball like grenades and lit a spark. He then dropped it back into the pouch where it nestled itself among the other unlit grenades. He waited patiently for a lull in the gunfire before jumping over the crate. With as much strength as he could manage, he threw the pouch towards the attackers before diving back down and bringing up his rifle.

Instead of one massive explosion, a series of smaller ones erupted as the grenade pouch was torn to shreds and its contents rolled out in every which way. And before the explosions had even stopped, Bartolomeo was already up and running once more.

He fired the rifle at the first sign of movement he saw before flipping the gun around and swinging its hardened butt at someone who made to rush at him. He then threw the rifle away and brought up his rapier. But just as he was about to go any further, a few more of Beckett's men appeared out of the haze of smoke and fire.

It was a numbing feeling at first, and then an excruciating one as a bullet caught him straight on the chest, another on his left arm and a third on his right leg.

As he flailed in pain on the ground, one of the attackers stepped up and pointed a rifle at him. The lieutenant looked past the rifle's barrel and straight at its owner's cold remorseless eyes. But as the world blurred around him, he did not see the man's face. Instead, he saw that of another.

"Catherina…" Bartolomeo mumbled as the tears came to his eyes.

"_Catherina!_"

* * *

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The dismal inn had two visible exits, not counting the windows that were walled up by planks of wood. The first exit was where they had come from, and outside of it were several of Beckett's goons just waiting for them to step out. The second one was located in the kitchen. But between it and them were even more guns and cutlasses eager to mow them down.

"Sooner or later we're going to run out of shot," James remarked as a bullet narrowly missed his head, "This is the part where you come up with another of your brilliant ideas."

"I thought you hated my 'brilliant' ideas."

"I do but right now they're better than nothing so think of something!"

"Hmm. Very well… I have a plan. Give me your shirt."

"What?"

"Oh don't be shy, Commodore. I promise I'll only look, now strip."

James looked at the Captain incredulously but nonetheless complied. He stripped from the waist up and handed over the garment to Jack who then proceeded to break off a leg of the table they were hiding behind. Tying James' white shirt on the leg, he slowly inched up and peeked over the table and at the bar.

"Parley!" he shouted as he waved the white flag above him.

James hissed. "That's your brilliant idea?"

"Well you hate it do you not? So yes, it is my brilliant idea."

"They won't—"

"—Drop your weapons then! Hands to your heads!" someone shouted from behind the bar.

"Oh they will," Jack smiled as he slowly stood up, "Beckett's orders to capture us alive I'm assuming."

James warily stood up beside him with hands raised. "You realize Beckett will have us shot the moment he sets eyes on us."

"Oh, I'm sure the savvy Admiral will delay for a few seconds in order to spout out some snide remark or other."

"And in those seconds? Another 'brilliant' idea?"

"Perhaps not brilliant, but an idea nonetheless," Jack grinned widely at the sailors who inched towards them.

And when the two did not move, their captors immediately surrounded them and bound their hands behind their backs.

"Beckett wants to see you," one muttered before pushing them out of the front door.

The streets were quiet and completely empty of people save for Beckett's men. Every window they passed was shut and boarded up and every door bolted and locked. From the harbor came the sounds of a furious gunfight.

"Catherina," James exclaimed with sudden realization, "Sparrow, we have to—"

He was interrupted by a rifle butting the back of his head. He stumbled to the ground but managed to get back up with only his knees and feet. He glared at the man behind him but said nothing else.

"Move," said the man.

"To where?"

"The Aguadama. Beyond the cliffs."

"She was right here and we didn't even know it," James muttered bitterly, "How did they even know we were coming to port here?"

"Well," replied Jack, and he looked meaningfully at the man behind them, "I'm assuming our dear friend Luis Antonio Ramos is Concettina's pawn. They'd have seen our sails from the horizon and had prepared such a wonderful welcome accordingly."

The man snickered and nodded. "There's a tale," the man began, "Of a cursed passenger that would board ships and those ships would never return to port… You are fools for defying the witch, for she has many allies and much power."

"I doubt Ramos considers himself an ally," said Jack knowingly, "He just has no choice but to obey Concettina… just like you."

The man glared at him but said nothing and they continued their walking in silence. They eventually entered the jungle's outskirts and the men had to bring out bolos to cut open a path.

After a long while, they managed to reach the top of the closest cliff which was cleared of trees and bushes. It thusly provided an extensive view of the ocean, the jungle, the town and the cove on the opposite side where the Aguadama was lying in wait.

James only shook his head as he looked down at the brigantine ship. And it was then when he noticed the small open tent that was pitched by the cliff's edge. Inside was Thessalonike who sat in bored silence as the merchant Ramos chattered furiously into her ear. Both of them James ignored however as his attention was on the third person in the tent.

"Welcome, gentlemen," smiled Beckett as he stepped outside to greet the arriving group, "Ah, Sparrow, Sparrow, Sparrow… you have no idea how long I've waited for this moment."

"I missed you too, Admiral. You look great by the way."

Beckett's smile disappeared and he gestured at one of the captors. In response, the latter shoved a rifle butt into Jack's stomach and the Captain doubled over in the ground.

Beckett then turned his gaze towards James who could only stare back with jaws clenched. "It was foolish of you to return, Norrington."

The latter could only stay rooted in place as Beckett brought out a pistol and fired.

As he collapsed in pain beside the Captain, two emotions overcame James: Relief and regret. A part of him was glad that it was all over, that he'd be going back to death's cold embrace. But a much larger part wanted him to live on. It was at this point when Beckett's outline above him blurred out to be replaced by that of a certain Spanish woman.

"Not… yet," whispered James helplessly as the world around him, save for the vision of Catherina, disappeared into blackness.

* * *

><p>.<p>

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Robin Hood towered well over seven feet and Catherina could only wonder at how much he weighed. The African had recovered from his ordeal and his muscles and limbs now bulged with health and energy.

"How did we ever manage to fish you out of the water?" said Catherina as she struggled to keep up with her companion's rapid pace.

"I had no food and water for five days; it should not have been hard. And it was God's will."

"You still haven't told me how you ended up being a Christian."

"A story for another time perhaps. For now, we are almost there."

Both of them immediately came to a stop. Between the two of them, they held six rifles and a couple of pistols that they had appropriated from the posse back in the compound. That gave them eight shots before having to duck back down and reload. One advantage they had however was the element of surprise.

"Woman, how good are you with a gun?"

"Good enough, big guy. Now let's do this." Catherina slung the pistols over her shoulders before grabbing two of the rifles. She inched forward towards the unsuspecting group in front of them but was stopped on her tracks as a ripple of explosions erupted all around her.

The men on the docks were swallowed by fire but a few managed to break away only to be shot down by Robin. Clearing her head, Catherina immediately fired her own rifles before throwing them away. Then, with a pistol on each hand, she burst through the smoke just in time to see one of the men point his rifle at Bartolomeo who lay prone on the ground. With cool determination, she immediately brought up her pistols and fired one after the other.

The first bullet hit the man's rifle straight on its barrel and it wavered to the side where it deposited its shot a mere inch from Bartolomeo's temple. The second bullet tore a hole straight through the man's neck making him collapse right on the Lieutenant.

"Bartolomeo!" Catherina dropped her pistols and rushed forward. She pulled away the dead man and looked down with concern.

"God has answered me. To see you for one more time…"

"Shut up. You're not going to die damn you," Catherina hissed with reddening eyes. She then looked up and waved frantically at the Pearl. Someone waved back and people jumped into the water and started swimming for the docks.

Robin came to kneel beside them and he began checking on Bartolomeo's wounds. "This is bad," he said, "We need to pull the pellets out. And soon. He has lost a lot of blood."

"Robin," Bartolomeo looked up in surprise, "I thought you—"

"Yes, well. My goal is Ramos. But I suppose God would not have looked kindly down at me if I just left you all to that merchant snake's tricks."

"Still, you could have said something back in the ship."

"And would you have believed me? Now enough talk, save your energy."

Gibbs, Murtogg, and Mullroy came dripping out of the water and headed towards them. They froze for a moment when they saw Robin but continued quickly after when the Lieutenant began coughing blood.

"Don't! Don't…" Catherina said sternly as her tears began falling on Bartolomeo's face. She grabbed onto what was left of the latter's shirt and said angrily, "You still have a lot to answer for! You had no right! No right to kiss me!"

"I had every right, Catherina. All this time, from when we were children playing in the beaches of Maracaibo, I had always thought of you. Everything I've done in my life was so I could be closer to you… I guess it's a little ironic that it's only at the very end of that life that I could say this with ease: I love you Catherina. Always have, always will."

Catherina shook his head and placed a hand on Bartolomeo's cheek. The latter felt her hand shake uncontrollably as she struggled to reply.

It was Gibbs who came to her rescue as he gently pulled her hand away. "It be bad luck to be talkin' like that, you know," he said to Bartolomeo. He then pulled out the Lieutenant's medicine bag which he had managed to keep above water as he swam to shore.

"Help me if you will," he said to Murtogg and Mullroy who quickly positioned themselves beside Bartolomeo's shoulders. Gibbs then began rummaging around in the bag before pulling out a small knife.

"It be not my first time pullin' out shrapnel. Now hold still, lad. This is going to hurt."

Bartolomeo only nodded once before regarding Catherina, who stepped out of the way, with a kind look. The latter stood by his feet, looking down at him with helplessness. Her hair, made fiery by the red rays of the setting sun, danced wildly on her shoulders. It was a beautiful sight. And an opportune moment.

Bartolomeo smiled softly as he raised an arm. "My Lady de Eslava… will you marry me?"

Catherina looked at him in shock and she dropped to her knees. All sorts of thoughts sifted through her mind as she stared at the Lieutenant who patiently smiled back. Why was she hesitating? There's only ever been one man, outside of her father, in her life. And Bartolomeo has always been there for her. And now here he was so close to death and yet his thoughts were of her. She had no reason to refuse and every reason to accept.

With a deep breath, she grabbed hold of Bartolomeo's hand. "Yes… I will," she said with a relieved laugh. _No reason_, she thought as she looked down. But her tears blurred her vision, and instead of seeing Bartolomeo's grinning face, she saw that a former Commodore's.


	11. A Brilliant Plan

**A Brilliant Plan**

The bloody hues of the setting sun reflected on both the sky and the ocean. The dying day gave way to the cold water being assaulted by the warm breeze blowing from the jungle. From the steady waves that crashed on the rocky base below, tendrils of fog began enveloping the shore before slowly creeping up the cliff's wall.

Atop the cliff, a different sort of fog flitted through the air. The small wisps of smoke had come out of a pistol's barrel, freshly fired and still pointed at the recipient man who now lay on the ground.

It annoyed Beckett somewhat that James was still breathing, although the latter did so labouredly. A minor nuisance, the Admiral told himself as he pulled out a paper cartridge and ripped it open with his teeth.

"You'll not be doing that again, Admiral."

Beckett partially filled his pistol's flashpan with black powder before looking indignantly at Jack. The Captain had recovered from the blow to his gut and was now gently pulling up James who tried weakly to resist.

Beckett was about to make a snide remark when he was a little taken aback at Jack's unsmiling eyes. It was an abnormality in truth and also perhaps the reason why Beckett did nothing as the Captain half dragged, half carried James towards the cliff's edge where the tent's large umbrella stood propped open.

The tent's occupants, Ramos and Concettina, looked on in silence, one with irritation and the other with slight amusement, as Jack propped an unoccupied chair on the very edge of the cliff, facing the fog-covered ocean. He then forced James to sit on it, ignoring the latter's weak protests.

"Enjoy the view, Commodore. And separate the grey from the white," Jack said softly into James' ear.

The Commodore looked at him in pained confusion, his ghost-like face and body contrasting well with the dark redness oozing from his exposed chest wound.

The compassion or perhaps the cruelty of what seemed like a last act performed by a man to his dying friend was not lost on the tent's occupants. And it was the older of the two who let out a small chuckle.

"Jack Sparrow… Or should I say _Captain _Jack Sparrow?"

The Captain stood erect and turned to face the now-smiling Concettina. With hands still bound, he took off his hat and made an exaggerated bow.

"At your service… Madame Concettina… or should I say Thessalonike?"

"I've heard so much about you."

"And I'm proud to say almost everything you heard is true."

"Ah, were it to have been you in the Locker instead of these misfits around me..."

"I'm afraid I would have proved to be an even bigger disappointment since I would accept your deal _and then_ shoot you in the head."

"Hah, your defiance despite your imminent death is admirable, Jack Sparrow. Now tell me what it is that you are truly planning, cunning that you are."

"I could tell you my plans but that would defeat the purpose of thinking them in the first place. Besides, there's no guarantee that the plans I voice out match with the real ones I have in my noggin. And so the telling of what I plan—"

"Enough of this," Ramos said disgustingly. He brushed past Jack and glared at Beckett and the guards. "You have what you want, Admiral. Now tell your men to leave the girl to me."

Beckett looked back uncaringly as he put his pistol to full cock. "You're not in charge of me, little man."

Ramos reddened and he instinctively grabbed hold of his silver cross as he looked murderously at Beckett. When the latter appeared unfazed, the merchant looked back at Concettina. "You do not need her anymore! Now that the flies on your back have been swatted away, you are free to continue on with your journey unimpeded! She is but a—"

"—I care not what she is," Concettina waved a dismissive hand, "And I care not what you do with her. Admiral, by tomorrow I want the ship ready to make sail. I am weary of all your foolish idiosyncrasies. Come dawn, we head for the Amazon without any more stops."

The Portuguese merchant was about to speak up once more but was quickly silenced by Concettina's dark look. He paled quickly in response before backing out with a bow.

"Misfits indeed," spoke up Jack who now had an elbow propped up casually on Concettina's chair stand, "You, Beckett, need to learn to get along with others. You should try it for once and who knows, you might actually experience the phenomenon of making friends. As for you, my vertically challenged merchant, you had best give up on the Lady de Eslava for unfortunately she'd break her ankles from having to kneel down every time she tries to kiss you."

Ramos' face turned crimson once more and he once again held onto his cross. He was forced to bite his tongue however as Jack made a show of hiding behind the seated Concettina.

The goddess of the sea merely raised a brow before inclining her head slightly to address Jack. "Amusing as this diversion was, I'm afraid your little dance ends here, Jack Sparrow. As you know, I have a schedule to maintain... Have your revenge, Admiral."

She directed the last sentence to Beckett who smiled. The latter stepped forward with pistol raised though Jack ignored him. The Captain walked to stand beside James' chair. He then looked down questioningly and was met with the Commodore's calm and understanding gaze.

Jack smiled in return before facing Concettina. "Of course. Let's get this over with. We certainly wouldn't want your schedule disrupted. I'm sure an old lady such as yourself needs to tuck in early. It wouldn't do those wrinkles on your face any good now if you stayed up all night."

"Your insults will not buy you any time, Jack Sparrow."

"Ah! Time. There's just never enough of it, is there? I suppose you of all people would know. Tell me, how much 'time' do you have left?"

Concettina frowned but Jack waved his bound hands placatingly as he continued speaking. "Come to think of it, are you sure you have the _time_ to rest and sleep? For all you know there's someone else wanting to sail up El Dorado's river… intent on partaking from its treasured waters."

"And would you care to tell me who would be fool enough to do so?"

"Me." Jack smiled and leaned forward to level his face with Concettina's. "You first asked me what my plans are well then I'll tell you. I plan to sail the Amazon to find this hidden river. Then I plan to take a sip or two from the holy water and give myself perhaps a few thousand more years to live. It's a great plan isn't it? You should know, you're the one who thought it up in the first place. I'm just borrowing it, as it were."

The atmosphere, enhanced by the clambering fog, grew heavy as Concettina's eyes blazed and she spoke up in a voice tinged with alien menace.

"Kill him. Kill him now."

Beckett nodded and brought his pistol up to bear straight on Jack's forehead. With a sense of satisfaction, he pulled the trigger.

There was a click as the pistol's flint scraped the battery which should then have caused a shower of sparks to land on the flashpan loaded with black powder. But much to the Admiral's surprise, there was no shower of sparks and the pistol did not discharge.

He looked at the gun and then at Jack in bewilderment.

"That's what I like about you, Admiral. Not a sailor. And definitely not a soldier," Jack smiled at him, "Just a simple merchant hungry for petty revenge."

Beckett growled before looking at one of his guards who shrugged his shoulders apologetically. "Is the fog, sir. Is wet an' heavy. The powder's—"

"Fine! Then give me your sword and I'll cut them both down! I will not be denied my revenge!"

"Oh but you will," Jack spoke up, "I admit there's a chance that the Commodore and I will both die this day. But it won't be by your hand."

With those words, he shoved James and his chair clear off the cliff with one boot.

"El Dorado is the price, Madame Wrinkles! We'll see who gets there first! Now all of you remember this day as the day you almost—"

Jack ducked down to avoid the sword flying towards him. He was about to continue speaking when he noticed the unusual color of Concettina's simmering eyes. Taking that as his cue to leave, he spun around and jumped off the cliff.

Despite the wind whipping at his face, he kept his eyes open as he tried to separate the grey of the rocks at the bottom from the white of the fog-covered waters.

* * *

><p>.<p>

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.

Robin of the Hood peeked around the building's corner. But just like with all the others he passed, this street was empty and desolate. And after a second of making certain no one was watching, he rapidly crossed to the next building.

It was a house this time and it took him only a cursory glance to know that it was bereft of its owners. The whole of Amapa had been warned it seemed and its people likely gone into hiding. It was a tactic he was familiar with. Many villagers who lived by the coast of Africa would stow their belongings in record time before dashing into the jungle whenever a European ship was seen on the horizon.

After going around the house just once, Robin stepped out of the shadows to stare at the moon briefly uncovered from the fog and fully risen up above. He considered attempting to track where Ramos had gone but the moonlight that shone through gaps in the overcast fog, revealed a sight that made him change his mind.

He watched as the ship, which seemed like it came right out of Amapa's many cliffs, started gathering speed as it went abreast of the easterly wind.

Without a moment to lose, he immediately dashed for the village's outskirts and into the jungle. After several minutes of running in the dark, he burst out of the greenery and into the cove where the Black Pearl had been hidden.

The ship's crew, despite having dragged the Pearl out of the port and into the cove by longboat, were hard at work repairing what they could with what they had.

Robin waved at those on watch before waddling into the water and climbing a rope leading to the deck. He then nimbly avoided the sailors running around as he clambered down to the Captain's Quarters. Without knocking, he gently opened the makeshift door someone had made before entering and closing it behind him.

The room was now almost empty since even the table had been used for repairs. All that remained was a bed on which Bartolomeo was fast asleep. Beside him, Gibbs was quietly finishing up the stitches on the Lieutenant's multitude of wounds.

Opposite the bed, leaning by a porthole, was Catherina whose face showed clear signs of stress and weariness. Nonetheless, she perked up as Robin moved to her side and she quickly masked her worries as much as she could.

"Robin! Have you found them?" she spoke up in a half-whisper.

"They are not in the town."

"But where else—"

"There was a ship. Out of a cove on the other side of Amapa. It was angular, swift, and a golden lion at its front."

"The Aguadama! That's my father's ship!"

"It may well be so. And that is likely where your James and your Captain had gone."

Catherina sighed and she placed a hand on her forehead. Gibbs quietly came up to join them and looked at her inquiringly. "Perhaps you had best be gettin' some rest for now, lass. There be little you can do for the Lieutenant now and we can't bloody well go after Concettina with half a ship."

"How bad is it?"

Gibbs shrugged. "The Pearl be capable of sailin' right now, I suppose. But she shan't be surviving the lightest of storms. I say you give me a week at most. Me and some of the boys be taking a stroll in the jungle, find a few good trees to cut down, and work on the Pearl night and day."

Catherina closed her eyes and remained silent for a long while. The other two assumed she had fallen asleep when she suddenly snapped her eyes back open.

"We can't fall behind," she said firmly, "There's a lot more at stake here than just our lives or that of the Captain's... Do you trust my judgement?"

Robin nodded slowly while Gibbs shrugged noncommittally.

"Then I shall ask for your help. Have the sailors, tired as they are, cut down whatever small tree growing by the shore. Robin, I want you to take some men and go back to the port and raid their lumber stores. If they have none then dismantle the houses if you must but I want everyone back here in no more than an hour with as much wood and nail as the Pearl can carry."

"You be intendin' to sail tonight? Even if we try to make chase, we be chasing them blind into the night."

"We don't need to know where they are. We just need to know where they're going. And we all know where that is. The mouth of the Amazon."

"And the repairs?"

"We do them as we sail. I've seen Spanish sailors clamber bravely around their ships, making repairs as storms and battles swirled around them. I daresay can pirates match their courage?"

"Ha! And then some," Gibbs snorted before stalking out of the room with bravado.

"I shall see to my task too then," said Robin before also heading for the door.

"Well, might as well make myself useful. I think I'll join you—"

Robin spun around and placed a gentle but restricting hand on Catherina's shoulder. "Leave the lifting to simpler men for that is what they are good for. Instead keep your hand uncalloused and wrapped around Bartolomeo's."

Catherina was about to protest but was brought down by Robin's firm eyes.

"Very well."

She did not move even as Robin closed the door behind him. Eventually, she wrenched herself away from the spot to sit beside Bartolomeo's white face. With a damp cloth, she gently began wiping away the Lieutenant's cold sweat.

"Should I start calling you Captain now?"

Catherina jolted back in surprise as Bartolomeo opened his eyes to smile weakly up at her.

"Bastard," Catherina smiled back softly, "You were awake all this time?"

"Mhm. And I must say I think you've inherited your father's knack of making others obey orders without hesitation."

"Well in that case, I order you to shut up and get better."

"I shall on the second but I fear I must disobey the first. I feel like there's so many things I want to tell you but I don't know where to start."

"You can start by telling me everything you know about this 'hidden river'. Where it is and how to get there."

"It seemed like only yesterday when you were thinking up new ways to anger your father and now here you are determined to save the New World."

"I'll leave the saving of the continent to better men. I just want to get Jack and James back. They rescued me before and it's only fitting that I do what little I can to help save them," Catherina replied as she looked away distractedly at the darkness peeking out of the holes on the wall.

James meanwhile felt a pang of jealousy as Catherina's mask of confidence inadvertently slipped away to once more reveal her pained and worried face.

"I wonder what he's doing now," Catherina murmured softly with a far-away gaze.

* * *

><p>.<p>

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.

Darkness was everywhere and the first thought he had was to attempt to apply reasoning behind this black magic cast upon him. Should he be losing so much blood? After all his heart isn't beating so blood loss from the wound should be minimal.

Yet he distinctly recalled seeing the flow of red from his shirtless self. Shirtless? Yes, of course. Sparrow had taken his shirt, the bloody pirate. As if he hadn't taken everything from him already.

He could not see in the darkness nonetheless he imagined where his arms and hands would be. He then imagined Jack's stupid face grinning right in front of him. And with glee, he proceeded to choke the living daylights out of the pirate. Who said death didn't have its moments of fun? Perhaps he should imagine roasting the pirate in a fire pit. Or better yet a—

"—up!" Wake… up!"

James' eyes opened to a night sky blocked by a heavy dark overcast. The wonderful view was marred by Jack who was gagging and frantically pointing below his chin. James looked to where he pointed before immediately releasing his grip on the Captain's neck.

After being set free, the latter then skittered away on the sandy beach while breaking out in a hacking cough.

"Where…?" James slowly sat up in confusion. Pain shot through his chest and he looked down to see his wound haphazardly bandaged with a roll of ripped cloth. In front of him, blocked mostly by fog, was the ocean and behind was the misty dark jungle.

"I'll tell you one thing," Jack sputtered on all fours, "You're not in heaven yet so try to contain your murderous thoughts."

"Beckett and Concettina?"

"Gone before the sun even set."

"Then… we should go back to the Pearl. We don't even know if the others are still alive."

"Oh, they are. And your bonnie lass too. I'm pretty sure I heard their voices carried by the fog as they sailed by."

"Sailed by?"

"To chase after the Aguadama most likely. And don't bother trying to light a signal fire. Even if we burn the whole jungle they won't be able to see the light through this fog."

"Then we're stuck here. We're screwed."

"No, Commodore. Everything's going according to plan. Even better now that I know Gibbs has had the foresight to follow the Aguadama."

James looked at the Captain wearily before slowly lying back down on the sand. His wound still required serious treatment. "Okay let's hear it then. This damnable plan of yours."

"Well," Jack jumped up and clapped his hands, "The _plan_ was to enrage Concettina. Easy enough to do with these power-mad types… I told her I'd get to El Dorado before her. Be the turtle to her hare and all that."

"But you don't really intend to drink from El Dorado's water do you?"

"Of course not," Jack replied blankly before clapping his hands once more, "Anyway! She won't be wasting any more time exactly as she wanted. Turner gets his corpses back as he wanted. And everyone gets to see who they most want to see again exactly as they wanted!"

"Be plain, damn you. What's this about Turner?"

"There's only one way to El Dorado and that's through the Amazon. And there's only one way large enough for a ship to pass through to enter the great river. That's where everyone's converging, Commodore. That's where we'll find the Pearl because that's where Concettina will be. And that's also where we spring the trap."

"The trap…" James bounced back up, ignoring the pain. "The mouth of the Amazon! That's where the Aguadama will be! We know her location, the Dutchman can wait for her there!"

"What a brilliant plan, Commodore. I wish I could have thought it up myself."

"Shut up. Now how do you plan to inform Turner?"

Jack smiled before waddling off to shore. He stopped just as the waters reached his knees. He then turned around and pulled out two objects.

"La Malinche's gifts…" said James as he followed the Captain into the water, "You still haven't told me what you need Davy Jones' locket for."

"That's in case our trap doesn't work and we might have to enter the Amazon after all. But for now…"

The Captain pocketed the locket once more but held onto the second object, a small pouch wound so tightly that it seemed waterproof. It took him a minute of struggling, but he finally managed to pull open the pouch to reveal a small piece of charcoal.

"A gift from your first Christmas?" James said, clearly disappointed.

"Scoff if you will. This item holds great power. Taken from the burned wreck of Odysseus' cursed ship."

"It's just a piece of coal—"

"Catch!" The Captain threw the coal and James deftly caught it in one hand.

"Of course Beckett was supposed to do the catching… But I'm sure you'll forgive me for using it now."

James felt a tingling sensation in his hand which quickly turned into a searing pain. He released his grasp and Jack deftly leaned forward with the opened pouch to catch the coal. He tied the pouch as tightly as he could manage as James stared incredulously at his hand.

"What the devil is this?" he demanded. He dipped his hand into the water, trying to wipe away the black spot that covered most of his palm. He froze however as the water suddenly grew colder. Even the fog all around them quickly became foreboding, almost choking them in its heaviness. And from further out into the ocean, the silhouette of the Flying Dutchman came gliding through the fog.

"I love it when a plan comes together," said Jack as he began walking, then swimming, towards the waiting ship.


End file.
